


Poke the Beast to Cure Boredom , at Least Now I am Running

by Eucalyptus1379



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst and Humor, F/M, Jealous Solas, Kink Meme, Spoilers, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-23
Updated: 2016-07-24
Packaged: 2018-04-16 21:05:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 37,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4640199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eucalyptus1379/pseuds/Eucalyptus1379
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For kink meme Prompt: Female Lavellan pretends to be everything he hates about the Dalish and/or pretends to oppose his every view on magic/spirits in order to get a rise out of him (for her own amusement)... and he HATES her. A lot. </p>
<p>How will Solas react when he learns of her deception and how easily she tricked him? What if her views are not so unlike his own?<br/>----<br/>This is the first time I have written a fanfic and constructive criticisms are extremely welcome. I have more planned for this, but I am not sure if I am up for the task or not. Rating M is for later chapters. I do not have a beta so I apologize for any errors.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. ch 1

Ellana was bored...again. Haven was a small town, but it felt suffocating, especially since everyone always seemed to be staring at her. It was quite bothersome and made it nearly impossible to find anything _fun_ to do. 

"You should get used to it, _Violet_." Varric chuckled. She frowned at his nickname for her. Really, couldn't he think of something more creative than just the color of her eyes? It was disappointing. "Unless you know an invisibility spell, I doubt you can even take a pee break without everyone knowing. "

She smirked at the crude dwarf. "I Imagine the report to Leliana about that would be rather interesting," she said, and changed her voice into a mocking emulation of Leliana's lead scout. "The Herald was spotted relieving herself in a bush.... yes Ma'am, we did gather the moist leaves. Per your instruction, they have been sent to Adan who is currently testing the residue for special properties. I will inform you of the results by nightfall."

Varric burst out laughing. She smiled, grateful that at least one member of the Inquisition had a sense of humor. "If I write a book about you, I will be sure to include someone actually doing that!" he teased. 

Silence fell between them and she sighed. She really needed something to do. Waiting around for their _leaders_ to decide their next move was infuriating. She had half a mind to barge into the war room and take control herself. At least their reactions would be entertaining, if nothing else.

"Don't look now, but a certain cranky elf is headed in your direction, and by the veins popping out of his head, I don't think he is pleased," Varric said teasingly. _I may find some entertainment today after all_ , she thought, forcing her mouth into an annoyed scowl. 

The angry mage halted a few paces from her. She noticed a book in his hand and fought to contain a chuckle. _So that is what this is about. Oh this will be fun._

Solas opened his mouth, obviously about to yell, but he quickly closed it when he noticed how many onlookers had gathered. Instead he took a heavy breath, calming himself. "A word, if you please, Herald." It was clearly a demand, not a request. 

"Of course, Solas, how can I be of assistance to you?" she asked in a syrupy voice which caused his eye twitch slightly. _Excellent_. 

He looked up and people jumped, quickly pretending to be going about their regular business while maintaining a close enough proximity to eavesdrop. "In private," he said and strode toward his small cabin, not even bothering to see if she followed. _Better and better, s_ he thought, making a show of looking bewildered as she made to follow him. 

The door to his cabin was left open and she walked in, closing it casually behind her. The older mage caught her eye and she almost laughed out loud at the pure fury radiating from him. _This is too easy. It almost isn't fair._

Despite his obvious rage, he spoke in the same controlled tone that was his norm...it was irritating, and oh so _boring_. She would have to do something about that. 

"When I lent you this book, I meant to expose you to perspectives about the fade that are not limited by the feeble misconceptions of this age," he said and she waited for him to continue with a bored expression.

His nose wrinkled in disgust and she knew she was close to pushing him beyond composure. Riling up the stoic elf was becoming one of her favorite pastimes. She loved watching the way his control dissipated little by little with each of her well placed remarks. The way he went from an unreadable, observant wallflower to something dangerous and wild was... _fascinating_. 

Realizing that he was waiting for her to respond she replied, careful to keep her voice sounding as bored as possible. "They are not _misconceptions_. Every good mage knows that the best kind of _demon_ is a dead one. I don't see why you get so hung up on _irrelevant_ details like which emotion those _things_ embody. " Ellana waived her hand dismissively at the book and continued, "The author of that _tripe_ was obviously inexperienced with such matters."

Solas slammed the book down onto his nightstand and strode towards her, stopping only inches away, effectively blocking the doorway. "While you are entitled to your own opinions, however misguided they may be, I did NOT give you permission to write said opinions in the margins OR to cross out passages with your ill-begotten _corrections_!" His voice was still calm, but she could hear the venom edging its way into his tone. _Just a bit more._

"The book _needed_ correcting," she said patiently, as if she were lecturing a petulant child. "Imagine how much damage it could do if it fell into the hands of some young, naive mage. Why, they would run to the fade, thinking it nothing but a fun playground and wind up an abomination or worse. You should be grateful that I even allow you to keep it." 

" _Allow_?" he said in disbelief. "You do not _allow_ me to anything, _Herald_!" His voiced turned to a growl as he spat out her title. The heat of his quiet rage was pouring off from him and she was delighted to see the tips of his ears were turning pink. _Lovely._

She rolled her eyes giving a small "hmm," in response, a little disappointed that she did not break his composure completely. Still, it was more entertainment than she thought she would have today."Well Solas, as much as I enjoy our little chats. I have other duties I must attend to. Please be mindful not to leave any dangerous books lying about." 

She moved her hand to his chest, meaning to push him aside so she could exit, but he grabbed her wrist, forcefully pushing her down into a nearby wooden chair, holding her there. Unconcerned violet eyes met his raging stormy blue and she sighed, feigning exasperation. "Yes?" she asked raising her eyebrows expectantly. 

_Finally,_ she thought, taking note of how powerful his arms felt. He rarely touched her and she was actually surprised when her stomach flipped as his hot breath hit the side of her cheek. _Well that was...unexpected._

"I am not one of your silly little clan-mates whom you can order about, _da'len_. You would do well to remember that while your people play dress up and pretend at having wisdom they will never possess, I have seen the truth of it in the fade. Your ignorance is shameful and I shudder to think that the fate of the world rests in the hands of someone such as you!" 

His strong hands were still pressing her to the chair. _He probably doesn't even realize he is holding me down._ She smirked inwardly _. This could be fun_. 

Allowing annoyance to seep into her voice she said, "Tell me, _Hahren_ ," making sure to spit the title out in disgust. There was a brief flicker of shock in his eyes, probably because she rarely allowed emotions to lace her tone. _Good,_ she thought and continued."Why do you find it necessary to belittle my people at every opportunity? The Dalish are the best hope for the People to recover what has been lost. The knowledge _we_ have gathered is far better than whatever _lies_ the _demons_ have fed you in the _fade_!" 

His hands tightened on her wrists and she was sure they would leave marks. "The Dalish are cowardly children who hide in the forest, praying to gods they know nothing about while ignoring the plight of their people. They have recovered _nothing_!" he growled, keeping his eyes trained to hers. 

Her wrists were beginning to ache. _Time to end this._ "At least we Dalish in our _ignorant savagery_ , have enough manners to know that forcefully holding a lady down in such a fashion is barbaric!" she spat back, curious as to how he would respond. 

Solas immediately looked at his hands as if realizing them for the first time, shock clearly visible in his eyes. He jerked his hands off her and backed away, startled. _He looks like a scared puppy._ She almost felt bad, but it served him right for grabbing her in the first place. 

Ellana casually rose from the chair and walked out of his cabin, not even sparing a glance in his direction. She felt his eyes following her until she rounded a corner and was out of his sight. Quickly, she made her way to her own cabin, locking the door behind her and began to laugh furiously. _He is just too much fun._

She knew he would find out about her deception sooner or later, and she was actually dreading his reaction. Still, how angry could he really be when he found out that she is a dreamer who regularly enters the fade and converses with spirits? She glanced at the angry red marks circling her wrists. _Well, shit._


	2. ch 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blackwall gets jealous, Solas get's annoyed, Varric gets amused and the Herald is actually being serious. But what happens when the rain forces the Herald and Solas to share a tent? Yeah, I went there, deal with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I threw in some overplayed plot devices...why you ask? Because I wanted to. No other reason. Also, I am skipping the main events. I mean you know what happened anyway, right? I think I am going to focus more on the idle time at haven or the days spent traveling, etc. 
> 
> Oh and I apologize for being mean to Blackwall, it just sort of happened, I swear! 
> 
> I tried to write some Solas POV, but I am not sure how well that worked. I am very open to suggestions for the direction you want the story to go and please let me know if you see any mistakes. 
> 
> Anyway, here you go. I hope you enjoy :)

\------------------------

Solas stared after the Herald until she disappeared from view, thankful that nothing in her gait gave away any sign of duress after what had just transpired. 

What could he have been thinking, manhandling her like that? _Great job Dread Wolf, let's just get ourselves thrown out of the Inquisition_ _because you can't handle one ignorant, little girl,_ he thought bitterly.It was rare for him to lose his temper with anyone, but Ellana always made him do just that. 

Conversations with her always ended the same. They would have a disagreement, he would defend his opinion and she would scoff. _She's hardly the first person to scoff at me since awakening, so why is it so irritating when SHE does it?_ It didn't make any sense.

He glared at the book still sitting on his nightstand as if it were to blame for this mess. _Why did a Dalish have to be the one to wield the mark?_ Fate clearly wanted to make things difficult for him... _again_. Why couldn't the mark have burned itself into a city elf, or, well...ANYONE else. _Even a Qunari would have been preferable to that monstrosity of a woman!_

Solas had lent her the book in an effort to challenge her views on the fade and spark up intelligent conversation. Instead she had insulted him by writing all over it with closed minded views and Chantry propaganda. 

How _did_ she know so much about the Chantry anyway? The book was practically a passage from the Chant of Light. Perhaps the Dalish were not so far removed from the humans as he had previously thought _. How disappointing_. 

Trying to push thoughts of the infuriating Herald far from his mind, Solas lit some incense and climbed into bed, confident that the fade would center him once more. 

\-------------------------------------

A few days later found Ellana walking through the Hinterlands toward Redcliffe Village. The advisors _finally_ managed to agree to _at least_ hear the mages out. 

She had chosen to take Solas, Varric and Blackwall along with her. Honesty though, she wished she could have taken _The_ Iron Bull instead of Blackwall, but she didn't want to scare the already skittish mages...and Blackwall wasn't _so_ bad...except for his beard. _He could at least comb it or...braid it, or something. I wonder what his face actually looks like. I bet it has a farmer's tan._ A small snort escaped her as she thought of how ridiculous he would look with a tanned forehead and a pale white chin. 

"Something funny, Violet?" Varric asked. 

"Oh, nothing really," she said. "I was just imagining the look on Blackwall's face if he were to wake up and suddenly find himself beardless." 

Blackwall stopped dead in his tracks, turning to Ellana. "You wouldn't want to try that, love." he said seriously. "For if I am shaven, I shall become weak. Then who would shield you if a dragon comes?" he asked causing her to smile. 

"I suppose you wouldn't be able to lift anything large and heavy either?" she asked innocently and Blackwall blushed. _Yeah, I guess he is OK,_ she conceded to herself. 

Varric looked between the two with glinting eyes. "I think we missed something, Chuckles," he said, smirking.

Solas however, did not seem to be in a playful mood, ( _What a shocker)_ and just walked on ahead without responding. 

"Geesh, what's his problem?" Blackwall asked, frowning. 

"Oh Chuckles is always like that, I wouldn't worry." Varric replied. 

Blackwall scowled at the mage then turned back to Ellana. "Why'd you bring him anyway? Wouldn't Vivian have been a better choice?" he asked, obviously not aware that Solas was still within hearing distance. _Seriously guys, our ears are for more than just looking pretty. How does no one realize that??_

"Somehow I doubt bringing the leader of the _loyal_ mages into a group of _malcontent_ rebels would be beneficial, " she said lightly. "Besides, her spiky hat frightens me." 

Varric chuckled at her comment, but the warrior was still glowering. _Should've just brought The Iron Bull and let the stupid mages cower._

"Point taken," Blackwall admitted. "But I still don't know why you chose to bring _him_ along," he continued unkindly. 

O _h, because bringing a Seeker, a Qunari or an elf who happens to be TERRIFIED of magic would have been SO much better. Ugh. I shouldn't have to explain myself to him._

"It's simple really," she said sarcastically, "I am _fond_ of him." 

Ahead, Solas's shoulders tensed and Ellana smiled. 

\-----

Another hour or so later and they were headed through the gate to Redcliffe Village. 

The rift outside of Redcliffe was unsettling enough, but the scout's report from inside town was even more so. Something was definitely wrong. _How could the Grand Enchanter just forget?_

"Stay behind me, Herald." Blackwall commanded. 

_Did he really just say that?_ she thought, slightly offended. "If I am supposed to be their _Herald of Andraste_ , I can hardly be seen cowering behind a lumberjack," she said, pointedly and strode purposefully to the front of the group, leaving a baffled looking warrior staring in her wake. 

"Word of advice," Varric whispered. "Never tell a strong willed woman to _stand behind you_...Actually, as a general rule, you should probably never tell them to _do_ anything...ever, trust me on this."

Blackwall didn't look convinced and trotted to catch up with the female elf. "Look, I was just trying to-"

"I know what you were trying to do," she snapped, cutting him off, "and I appreciate the thought, really I do, but just _don't_." She could practically see him wither as he slunk back, deflated. 

Ellana was a bit surprised. She thought he would have at least argued one of the MANY reasons why she _should_ be protected. _Let's see, I am the ONLY one who can close rifts, people's faith in the Inquisition will falter if I die, oh and the giant hole in the sky will never be sealed..._

_He has no bite to him at all. It's a pity, really, I thought he could have been fun._

\---------------

A short while later and she had met with some Tevinter _arsehole_ , had the son of said arsehole collapse into her arms and gotten into a fight with some uppity Circle runaway. Oh and let's not forget the less than subtle ~~trap~~ warning telling her to head to the Chantry. 

_What the hell is wrong with these mages? Hello there, I'm a super clever circle mage. Oh didn't you hear, I left the tower and now I'm Free! Yeah, I know hundreds of people died in the process, but it was totally worth it, you know, for freedom and all... Hey, I have a fantastic idea! Let's all go sign up for slavery! Oh did I say slavery, I meant indentured servitude. I bet that will be LOADS better than living under the Templars! I mean, it's OK because they are mages and we are mages, right? Right. Problem solved... Best. Idea. Ever._

_Idiots._ Still, Ellana wanted to help them. Surely not _all_ of them were a stupid as the Grand Enchanter, right?

The Chantry's large doors loomed ahead of them and she could feel her team hesitating. 

"This is not wise," Blackwall said. "Are you sure you want to go in there?"

"It does seem like an obvious trap," Varric chimed in. 

Ellana sighed, thankful that Solas at least, remained silent. "Would you rather wait for Alexius to come back out and _lease_ us some mages?" she asked shortly. 

"No, but we could always try the Templars," he answered. 

She felt herself turn rigid as she turned to her companions. " _I_ am going inside. And _I_ am going to stop _whatever_ is going on here. If any of _you_ don't want to follow me into this _obvious trap_ , then by all means, stay out here," she said sternly. "Don't worry, it won't be held against you."

Her three companions remained quiet, but looked shocked at how uncharacteristically serious she had become. 

Varric was the first to break the silence."You really feel strongly about this don't you?" he asked.

_How is it possible NOT to feel strongly about this situation!?_

Scowling, she replied harshly, "Yes, well, you'll have to forgive me for sympathizing with a frightened, displaced group of people who've just been sold into slavery."

Solas met her gaze and was staring intently. He opened his mouth to say something but she cut him off. "And don't even _think_ about saying how surprising it is for a _Dalish_ to care about anyone but themselves!" she snapped at him, "because I am _really_ not in the mood."

"I don't think he was going to," Varric said under his breath. She ignored him and strode into the Chantry. 

\-------

Things went as well as could be expected in the Chantry, still Solas did not like being forced to trust the information gathered from the Magister's former apprentice. The Tevinter clearly thought highly of himself and believed a few charming smiles and quips would win over the Herald. _Which may just be true if her flirtatious attitude is any indicator,_ he thought irritably. 

The walk back to Haven was tense, even by Solas's standards. Ellana's usual light hearted attitude was replaced by one of serious determination. 

Varric and Blackwall trailed silently behind while she walked briskly in the lead. Solas followed a few paces behind her and was glad that the formation allowed him to observe her hand without drawing attention to himself. 

The mark was flaring frequently and violently, which she was pointedly ignoring. If Solas hadn't been studying her so intently, he would have missed the wince she suppressed whenever his magic spilled out of it. 

_It causes her pain,_ he thought sadly.She had convinced everyone that it no longer hurt after the breach became dormant...and he had believed her too. _So she has decided that putting on a brave face while ignoring the gravity of the situation is the best course of action. How very Dalish._

His thoughts were interrupted when Varric trotted up next to him, smiling mischievously. "I know she's pretty and all, but do we really need _two_ lovesick puppies drooling over her?" he asked trying to lighten the mood. 

"I beg your pardon?" Solas asked, surprised. The dwarf gestured to the lone warden who was currently glaring daggers at the elf. 

"Well, you see...He has been going on and on about her eyes and her smile and her.. _other_ assets...but then he saw you- staring at her- for like, an _hour_. Well, he's _somehow_ come to the conclusion that you're his competition. It probably had something to do with that dreamy look you get on your face when you think no one's watching. Well, good luck with that, Chuckles. Just thought I'd warn you," Varric said with an infuriating smile plastered across his face.

"I was doing no such thing!" Solas said in a slightly higher- than-normal voice. "I happen to be walking behind her and therefore I automatically look in her general direction!" he finished lamely, wincing inwardly at how guilty he sounded, even to himself. 

Varric's smile grew wider. "Uh huh. If by _looking in her general direction,_ you mean _staring directly at her ass_ , then yeah, I believe you." 

Solas must have been making quite a face because Varric made a noise that sounded suspiciously like giggling. "Hey, I've been hearing about it's perfect shape all day, so I'm sorry if I don't quite believe that you _haven't_ noticed." 

Ellana turned, glaring in their direction. "I hope you realize that I can _hear_ you!" She paused, pointing to her ears and looked at Varric. "These aren't just for show, you know!"

The dwarf turned pale and immediately retreated to join the warden in back. 

She met Solas's gaze with narrowed eyes, but remained blessedly silent before spinning on her heel and marching on. 

The male elf didn't know if he was more offended or disgusted by the dwarf's assumptions. He had been studying her mark, nothing more. _As if I could actually be attracted to...that._

He resumed walking, allowing his gaze to drift back to the Herald. He tried, and failed to bring his focus back to the mark. 

Now that Varric had pointed it out, Solas could not stop staring at her rear. It was there, right in his line of vision, swaying hypnotically with every step she took. _Why the hell is her armor so tight??_ He tried moving his eyes upward, but that just led to her small waist and delicate shoulders. If he looked down, his eyes found themselves sweeping over her long, shapely legs. 

_Fenhedis, I am going to kill that dwarf!_

He absolutely did not want this type of distraction, not now, and not for some ignorant woman who willingly allowed slave marking to be tattooed on her face. He inwardly cringed, knowing he wasn't being fair. She could hardly be blamed for being unfortunate enough to be born Dalish. Still, being reminded of his failures whenever he looked at her face was... _trying_. 

They continued on for a few more hours when rain clouds began to gather overhead, causing the sky to darken. 

"Mind if we set up camp before the thunder storm gets everything soggy?" Varric asked. 

Ellana looked up at the clouds, nodding. When they left the main camp for Redcliffe, they had assumed they would be staying in town for the night, so camping supplies were not exactly prioritized when packing. 

"Bad news, kids," she said nonchalantly, "we only have two tents. So play nice and pick your buddy."

The three men looked between each other awkwardly. "Um, hate to break it to you Violet, but since you're the only female here, we're gonna leave this up to you," Varric said, trying not to smile when Ellana made a face. 

"Fine. Blackwell, Varric, you share. Solas, you're with me. Varric, you take first watch," she said bluntly. 

Blackwall looked like he wanted to protest, but was silenced with a single look from Ellana. The warden threw Solas a threatening glare and the elf rolled his eyes. He was _almost_ tempted to flirt with the girl just to goad the brutish warrior. 

Silent rain drops began to fall and the team hurried to set up camp and settle into their respective tents, which thankfully were large enough to keep things from becoming awkward. Still, this was the first time he was alone with the Herald since the book incident. _I will not let her get the better of me,_ he vowed to himself. 

Ellana was busy readying her bedroll, clearly not wanting to interact with him any more than necessary, which normally would have pleased him. But his curiosity was burning and needed to be satiated. "Why did you choose to share sleeping quarters with me?" he asked careful to keep his voice passive. 

Ellana didn't bother to look up. "Because I am fond of you, _obviously_ ," she replied matter-of-factly, repeating her earlier statement to Blackwall. 

"Somehow I find that unlikely. Surely you would have preferred the company of one of the others," he said, still keeping his voice bland. 

Ellana let out a frustrated sigh. "OK, fine! You want the truth? Varric snores and Blackwall has been leering," she said shortly. 

"Oh? Didn't the Child of the Stone accuse me of doing the same?" he asked coyly. 

She gave him a sideways glance before replying. "Well, at least you're discreet about it. Also, Blackwall may actually try something if given the opportunity." 

"Ah, so you think yourself safer with me," he said neutrally, but couldn't help but push a little further. "I thought that you would welcome his advances," he stated, expecting her to lash out, but she remained surprisingly calm. 

"Ugh. No thank you." she said wrinkling her nose. "Did you see the way he practically ran away from me in Redcliffe? All I did was _snap_ at him. _Once._ As if I would willingly give myself to someone so easily pushed down," she said. 

His lip quirked up briefly, but he forced it down before she saw. "And here I was under the impression that women liked men who do as they're told," he said teasingly, enjoying the unspoken truce between them. 

"Only if they enjoy being _bored_ ," she answered, still busying herself with readying her sleeping bag. 

An awkward silence fell between them. The only noise was the soft tapping of raindrops on the tent and the distant rolling of thunder. Eventually she made a huffing noise, drawing his attention back to her. 

"Turn around so I can get undressed," she commanded. 

"Afraid I'm going to leer at you?" he asked sarcastically. 

She glanced at him, tilting her head pensively. "No, actually," she replied and began stripping off her gear. 

_What the-_ He immediately turned around, causing her to laugh. _Insufferable woman!_

"You're so predictable, Solas," she said easily. 

_Predictable? If only you knew_. 

"OK. I am ready," she said. When he turned around, she was already snuggled into her bedroll looking expectantly at him. "Aren't you going to get ready, or do you plan to sleep in your gear?" she asked, turning away to give him privacy. 

An idea came to him and he grinned briefly. Solas shrugged out of his armor and tunic, leaving only his leggings on. The movement caused his jaw bone necklace to thump against his bare chest. The noise caused her to turn around and he felt her eyes sweep across his body. _Look who's leering now._

Keeping his face neutral, he pulled a box of incense from his bag and opened it. With a flick of his wrist, the herbs were lit, filling the tent with an earthy aroma. 

"What are you doing?" she asked cautiously, though he could tell she already knew the answer. 

She was staring at him with narrowed eyes and he chuckled. "I am preparing to enter the fade, which should be obvious so someone such as you," he replied mimicking the same bored tone she liked to use with him. 

Ellana sat up quickly, casting a frost spell over the incense which he countered easily. "What the hell, Solas?" she hissed, eyes darting to the tent flap. Her movements were jerky as she tried to crawl to the exit. She stumbled, falling to the ground gracelessly. 

The effects of the incense were already taking hold of her and she was struggling to keep her eyes open. "I don't.. wanna.. go to the... fade," she mumbled , rolling onto her back. _Such a light-weight._

"I know," he said smugly. "You have been avoiding it since you awoke in Haven. I can feel it tugging at you, yet night after night you resist." He paused giving her time to respond, but she was clearly too far gone to form a coherent sentence. _Good, it is time you listened._

Crouching next to her, he firmly tilted her face, forcing her to make eye contact with him. _"_ It is unfortunate that your mind has been polluted with such foolish misconceptions. I intend to remedy the situation. You see Da'len, I have come to the conclusion that more exposure to the fade is necessary so that I may undo the damage that has been done," he finished, chuckling softly as she attempted to glare. 

A few minutes later found her fast asleep next to her bedroll. The older elf carefully lifted the unconscious woman, tucking her back into the blankets. She appeared serene while sleeping and he idly thought how much prettier she looked when she wasn't scowling at him. 

Laying in his own bedroll, he shut his eyes and easily entered the fade with a small smile lingering on his lips. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got the idea for incense that helped to enter the fade from _The Masked Empire_ by Patrick Weekes when the elf, Felassan placed herbs in the fire to help him enter the fade.


	3. CH 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ch 3 - Ellana tries to keep up her game while in the fade with Solas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please let me know if you see any mistakes and let me know what you think. I really appreciate all of the feedback so far.

\---------------------------------- 

Ellana woke in the fade. _What the hell was he thinking!?_ She had purposefully been avoiding the fade since the mark on her hand was obviously connected to it. The last thing she needed was to lose control and open a rift while she slept. 

Being a dreamer, she had always loved the fade...but even so, she couldn't deny the off-feeling she got whenever she dreamed, it felt like she was just a visitor and didn't quite belong. But now...now that feeling was gone and replaced by the strange sensation of _coming home_. 

Looking around, she noticed how bare her surroundings were. Normally she would awaken in a world already developed and ready to explore. _Strange._

Suddenly, she felt eyes on her and realized that Solas must be there, concealing himself. This could very well bring about the ending to her little game. It was a shame really, playing with him was so much fun... _Unless I can keep it up here too..Think...what would a regular, run of the mill, Dalish mage be dreaming of in the fade?..._ _Aravels obviously...um, halla? No, anything moving will attract spirits. Right, let's get this over with._

With no more than a thought, she found herself standing in a lush forest surrounded by... _lots_ of aravels. A small shrine to the gods sat in the center of the camp. She willed a light breeze to blow, which caused light to flicker through the leaves, casting moving shadows over the land. _Well that was easier than I remember. And the detail! I've never been able to assert this much control before._ She briefly wondered what else she could create, but pushed the thought aside. She had a game to play after all. 

_Right, If I were really afraid of the fade, what would I do?_ She had no idea. _I suppose I could just go hide in one of the aravels...ugh. That would be boring._ Instead, she made her way to the shrine and knelt, offering her prayers to the creators. Her hands easily went through the practiced motions of worship while she whispered memorized chants whose words she no longer believed. 

It was surprisingly comforting to perform the old rites. When she lived among her clan she had resented worshiping gods who no longer listened, but it was her job to set an example, even if she disagreed with them. 

_Maybe I really AM homesick,_ she thought, but immediately dismissed the idea. It did no good to dwell on what cannot be changed. 

_Why doesn't he just come out already?_

She finally grew impatient and called out. "I know you're there, Solas. Otherwise you wouldn't have bothered bringing me here," she called, facing the direction she felt his presence. 

"I'm impressed you knew where I was, da'len," he said, appearing directly beside her. 

There was something different about him here. _I wonder if I'm different too?_ He seemed more at ease, more graceful...more _dominant._

He was circling her now, as if sizing up his prey before striking. _Too bad for him that I will never be anyone's prey,_ she thought confidently and leaned casually against a tree. "Do you make a habit of stalking other people in their dreams, or am I just lucky?" she asked acidly, earning a chuckle from him. _Yeah, he's definitely more confident here._

"It could hardly be stalking since you seemed to know exactly where I was," he replied still circling her. 

She huffed and crossed her arms. "Well, it says a lot about the type of person you are. An honorable man would have made his presence known immediately. Had I not called to you, I bet you would still be lurking, unseen," she said flatly. "Do you even know how _creepy_ that is?" 

He chuckled again. _His laugh is rather nice...for an ass._

"I admit, I was curious as to what you would do. Though I should have predicted what you would create," he said glancing at the aravels. "You appear to be unafraid, considering how much you claim to fear this place," he stated. 

_Shit!_ A moment of panic flared, but she pushed it down before it had a chance to surface. 

"Of course I am unafraid. Everyone knows that giving into your fear whilst in the fade will call to demons. I learned a long time ago to remain calm," she said confidently. 

Solas leaned next to her on the tree, turning to facing her. "How often have you found yourself here? Even for mages it is difficult to remain aware in the fade, yet you seem well practiced." 

His eyes were playful and curious. _No way to hide it now_ , she thought. _I'll have to show him a card to keep the rest of my hand hidden._

"Hmpf. I suppose you've figured it out so there's really no point in hiding it," she said petulantly. "I have been cursed with the abilities of a dreamer," she finished, hoping to get a rise out of him. She was not disappointed. 

His eyes instantly went dark. "Curse!? Why on Earth would you call it a _curse_?" he asked harshly. For an instant, she felt the air around him thicken. But it was gone just as quickly as it came. _Strange._

"Yes, it's a CURSE!" she spat. "Being so connected to this wretched place makes me more of a threat for possession than a regular mage, surely you know that! If I hadn't been the ONLY mage born to my clan in over a generation, I would have been cast out immediately!" She snapped, revealing more than she had intended. This place was making her careless. 

Solas's lips thinned into a disapproving, yet controlled frown. "Your keeper would turn you away simply for being born a dreamer?" he asked in disgust. "I thought your people wanted to preserve the past? Even the most basic Dalish legends speak of the immortal elves entering uthenera!" 

"The Dalish ARE working to preserve the past!" she snapped. "But that doesn't mean they would endanger the whole clan just to keep one little girl! Like everything else about our culture, the rituals used to train dreamers have been lost. There was NOTHING else to be done. I HAD to leave. It was the best way to protect them," she said, once again revealing more than she intended. 

Solas was about to retort, but he stopped abruptly, comprehension washing over his features. _So you caught that, huh?_

"Had to leave?" he asked, eyes softening. 

_Don't you dare look at me with pity!_ she thought, but knew he would not let it go until she explained."About six months ago, another in the clan began showing magical promise," she replied, letting the implication seep in. 

He remained quiet for a moment, clearly trying to think of the best way to phrase his thoughts. "How old are you?" he finally asked. 

"27, why?" 

His frown deepened. "So your clan abandoned you? Even after 27 years of living among them without harm?" His eyebrows furrowed causing his nose to wrinkle angrily . She could tell he was trying to control his temper, which ordinarily would have delighted her, but this subject was still too raw to be much fun. Still, his angry face _was_ quite adorable. 

She jerked herself off the tree and away from him. She wouldn't be able to keep up the game if they kept talking about things that still hurt. _Time to start talking about you instead,_ she decided. 

"It only takes one slip up to lead a demon home. I would rather live my life in solitude than risk hurting them. Surely even someone like YOU can understand that!" she snapped. 

His brows furrowed deeper. Clearly he had fallen for the bait. "Someone like me?" he asked tersely, "I suppose you mean a _flat ear_?" 

_As if I would ever call someone that!_

"No, I was simply referring to someone who _chooses_ to live alone, but now that you mention it, your ears _are_ pretty flat!" she retorted, glancing at his ears, which were turning pink. _Good._

All softness instantly disappeared from his eyes and for a moment they appeared to flicker red. The air thickened around him again, energy spilling from his aura. She would have been frightened if such power were coming from anyone but Solas. 

She wanted to push him further. _Show me who you really are beneath that polite exterior._

"Calm yourself!" she snapped, grabbing his arm. "You are attracting DEMONS!" she whispered, glancing at some harmless wisps who'd gathered in the trees. 

He snatched his arm from her and turned to the aravels, disgust written clearly over his face. "Your people scour the world, gathering scraps of garbage from a forgotten age, while failing to see when something truly precious falls in their laps." 

Quiet intensity radiated from his very being and the aravel closest to them burst into flame, causing Ellana to jump. His head slowly turned to face her again. Behind him, the other aravels caught on fire, their flames reflecting in his eyes. She watched in awe as each aravel turned to ash until nothing was left but the shrine to the gods and a lone statue of Fen'Harel facing the horizon. __

She suddenly remembered that she should be outraged at such a display. _Right, let's see what else you've got._

She mustered as much anger as she could and stepped close to him. "Just who the hell do you think you are?? Fen'Harel, bringer of nightmares, master of the Fade!?" she asked, poking him hard the chest, but immediately withdrew herself from him, horror lighting her eyes. 

She slammed her hands over her mouth. _Shit_! she was going to give herself away with such flippant comments about her gods _._ No proper Dalish would EVER yell out _that_ name while standing in the fade. _Shit, shit, shit! No, I can still save this._

Ellana quickly changed her expression to one of fear, looking around frantically as if expecting the Dread Wolf himself to appear and smite her for slighting him. 

"Mythal show me mercy," she whispered, breathing heavily, worry clearly shining in her eyes. 

Solas's face shifted from disgust to pity and finally settled on what appeared to be a resigned sadness. "Do you really think the Dread Wolf would take offense to such a silly comment?" he asked sadly. 

"Don't you!?" she shrieked, trying to muster up as much fear as she could to make the effect more believable. 

The mark on her hand sparked to life and the forest melted away, revealing a twisted, gnarled landscape. _Don't tell me that the fade is responding to FAKE emotions now?_

She felt spirits drawing closer to them. The mark was making her too bright. There would be nowhere to run where they would not find her. A fear demon was approaching, she could feel it. _It's a good thing there is no spirit or demon that I can't handle. Still, I REALLY don't want Solas to witness anything it might show me before it's gone. Time to wake up._

"Da'len, you must calm yourself!" Solas hissed sternly, grabbing her arm tightly. 

"Yes, I apologize" she said sincerely. Taking a deep breath, she willed herself to wake...Nothing happened. _What the hell?_

She glared at him."Why can't I wake up?" she whispered, trying to remain calm. "I have always been able to wake up before. What did you do to me?" she asked with real panic leaking into her voice. 

His face turned pale, brows furrowing with worry. "I did nothing. The herbs used in the incense should not have been strong enough to keep you here against your will," he stated, refusing to acknowledge his mistake. 

She tried tugging her arm away from him, but his grasp only tightened. _How could someone so intelligent be such an idiot?_ she wondered, real anger overtaking her. 

"Not strong enough to keep YOU here, maybe!" she yelled. "This is YOUR fault! If you weren't so addicted to the fade, this wouldn't have happened!" 

His grip was still tight and she suddenly felt offended by its presence on her fade-flesh. She raised her marked hand and shoved it hard against his chest. The mark exploded into green energy and he was thrown away from her. She barley caught the shocked expression on his face before he blinked out of the fade. 

_Well that's one problem solved,_ she thought, looking around at her new surroundings. _Nope, this will not do at all. If I am to meet Fear, it will be on my own terms._

With a few thoughts, she rearranged the fade back into a lush forest. What could she say, she _was_ Dalish after all and the forest would always be comforting to her. Curious wisps flitted around in the trees and she allowed the feeling of _home_ to wash over her as she waited for the fear demon to approach. _That demon has no idea who he's dealing with. I almost feel sorry for it._

_\-----------_

Solas frantically jerked himself out of his bedroll and crawled towards the sleeping woman. She was not thrashing or showing any signs of a nightmare which was good. The smell of the incense was gone and he was tempted to try and enter the fade without it, but quickly dismissed the idea. He needed to make sure her physical form had not been harmed. _Besides, my presence will only make her uncomfortable and worsen the situation._

He let his magic wash over her until he was satisfied that there was no lasting damage. Given enough time, she should awaken on her own. The incense was just too strong for someone with little or no exposure to such things. He would need to take that into account for the future. _As if she will ever let me anywhere near her while she sleeps again,_ he thought, disappointed. 

The elf let out a long breath, allowing himself some time to process everything. _So the girl is a dreamer...and one of incredible talent_. He wondered how much of that talent came from her and how much was from the mark. 

Sudden realization struck him. He had just been _expelled_ from the fade...against his will...with his _own_ magic. He should have been furious at the situation, but instead he only felt amusement at the absurdity of it all. It would seem fate really did love to play with him. 

Outside, rain still fell steadily, but the thunderstorm had passed. It would be light soon and he wondered when she would wake. 

A few hours passed before he heard the sounds of Blackwall and Varric rousing from their sleep. Beside him, Ellana still slept with no sign of waking. 

Thankfully, the rain had stopped and birds were chirping happily outside. Solas left the tent to greet his companions and make excuses for the sleeping elf. Blackwall's face dropped when he saw Solas exiting the tent. Clearly, he had been expecting Ellana. 

"Good morning," Solas greeted. "I trust you both slept well?" 

The warrior grunted and Varric smiled warmly. "Is Violet still sleeping?" the dwarf asked. 

Solas nodded. "She fell asleep almost instantly last night. I think we should let her rest. Yesterday was quite trying for her." 

Thankfully the others agreed without questioning him any further. He just hoped she would wake soon, lest he have to explain why their Herald appeared to be in a coma. 

Just over an hour later he finally heard stirring from within their tent and she emerged, looking well rested and calm. Solas let out a sigh of relief, thankful that she appeared no worse for the wear. 

She looked up at the sky and cringed. "Why did you let me sleep so late?" she asked sweetly, looking directly at Solas. 

"I thought it best to let you wake on your own," he answered meeting her eyes. 

She nodded, smiling innocently. "Thank you, but next time I would prefer to wake earlier. Please don't do it again." _So she's not going to call me out. Interesting._

Once they were set out on the road again, Solas caught up to Ellana and matched her pace. She raised an eyebrow in question, but said nothing. 

"Why did you not tell the others what happened?" he asked, keeping his voice low. 

She didn't bother to look at him as she spoke. "Because you saved my life and despite our differences, I am grateful for that. Telling the others that you forced me into fade, only to abandon me there with a fear demon would be a poor way to repay you." 

Solas stopped, thinking she would pause as well, but she did not and he fell back into his place walking a few paces behind her. 

He had expected her to lash out after she woke up, not keep everything to herself and act as though nothing happened...and he really hadn't expected her to _finally_ thank him for saving her life. _Though I should have expected the backhanded way it was delivered. Why must she always be so insufferable?!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know having the Herald mention Fen'Harel is pretty played out, but I couldn't help myself. You will probably find lots of things that have been done before in this story. Sorry if that bothers you.


	4. Ch 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ellana + Sera = One pissed off Hobo Apostate 
> 
> I admit, I am a bit miffed with Solas right now, so this chapter may have been a bit mean to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the really short chapters. I don't have a lot of time for writing so I am just posting as I go. 
> 
> Please, please, please read and review. I would LOVE for suggestions for what you want to see happen. And if any of the phrasing in the story sounds awkward please let me know and do that whole constructive criticism thing. 
> 
> Thanks a bunch!

\------------

Once back in Haven, Ellana wasted no time approaching the advisors and announcing that they WILL help the mages. Cullen and Cassandra had protested, but she won them over in the end. Really, they _had_ to listen, it's not like the breach would close without her. 

Now they just needed an opportunity to meet with Magister Alexius again...which meant more _waiting_. 

Oh how she HATED waiting around in that stupid little village. Couldn't she at least be sent out on a different mission? _No, Herald, you need to stay here and motivate the troops. Seeing you is good for moral..blah, blah, blah. Stand and look pretty, Herald. Don't forget to smile at the visiting nobility, Herald. Remember to attend your etiquette lessons, Herald...Ugh. Well at least it gave her time to get to know the other members of the Inquisition better._

Sera, in particular caught her interest. At first she was tempted to play the Dalish card for all it was worth, but decided against it. She had a feeling that playing with Sera would lead to bees in her cabin or worse. _Nope, not worth dealing with bees. Besides, I like her happy face more than her angry one._

So with her mind set on befriending Sera, she cornered the other girl in the pub and asked to have a little chat. 

\------- 

"ARE YOU FRIGGIN SERIOUS?!" the blonde elf screeched. 

Ellana rolled her eyes. "Yes, now will you please be QUIET? I would rather keep this just between us." 

"Wait-wait-wait-wait. Are you _messing_ with me? you're just messing aren't you?" she asked leaning closer to Ellana. 

"I'd considered pretending to act all Dalish with you too, but someone with your... _unique talents_ is better suited as a partner," she said, smiling coyly and Sera blushed. _Huh, well that was unexpected...but good to know, I suppose._

"Yeah OK, Lady Herald. But just to be clear...you DON'T believe in those weird elven gods, you DON'Tthink the Dalish are better than everyone else and you actually LIKE the fade? _Demons_ and all?" she asked in a low voice. 

"Yes, yes, yes...and _no_. I don't like _demons_ at all," she replied, smiling. 

Sera's eyes glittered with anticipation. "And you've been telling Solas what, exactly? That you believe all that crazy Dalish shite and that the fade's all terrible?" she asked. 

"Pretty much." Ellana replied, enjoying the energetic mirth of her companion. "So, do you have any ideas?" she asked. 

Sera giggled. "Oh I have a few. None so good as your psychological stuff, but how do you feel about pranks?" 

Ellana smiled wickedly. " What did you have in mind?" 

\------------------------- 

Solas was beyond frustrated. In the last three days he had found his bedroll overflowing with lizards, all of his water skins had been filled with _tea_ and someone dug a hole right outside his cabin door causing him to trip and drop a stack parchment he was carrying. 

At first he suspected Ellana, but this type of behavior was childish, even for her...not to mention that she was actively avoiding him since the fade incident. He even asked some of the villagers, but none had seen her anywhere near his cabin since their return from Redcliffe. 

The next few days were even worse. Two of his sweaters had been dyed purple, his books were rearranged along with his loose leaf notes and worst of all, someone mixed his paints together leaving nothing but a nondescript brownish color. 

After the first few incidents he began setting wards around his cabin whenever he left, but they were never triggered. He even tried concealing himself and waiting for the perpetrator to appear, but he was unable to catch anyone in the act. 

He was getting angry now. If magical wards were not working, he would have to resort to something a bit more simple. Luckily for him, the dwarf apparently found the whole situation hilarious and readily offered his assistance. 

It only took one afternoon holed up in his cabin for the two of them to modify Varric's traps to suit their needs. First of all, they were made non-lethal. He wanted to catch the prankster, not maim them. Varric also altered some elemental mines in a way that he assured Solas would _help him get a little payback._

That evening Solas set the traps and left the cabin to gather herbs. He found himself clipping elfroot near the training grounds when he spied Ellana, causing him to frown. 

She appeared to be enthralled with the movements of the soldiers as they practiced...but upon closer inspection he noticed that she wasn't watching the troops at all. Her eyes were following the movements of the Commander... _only_ the Commander. 

Solas felt his mood darken. 

To the blonde man's credit, he was doing his best to ignore the girl, but his obvious blush and flustered movements confirmed that he was well aware of her attentions. It only took a few moments and the man's stance faltered allowing a recruit to knock him down. 

Ellana met the commander's eyes and she smiled suggestively at him, causing the man to stumble as he was pulling himself from the ground. 

The sight irritated Solas more than it should have, which only irritated him more. The woman had been pointedly ignoring him for days now, so she could what? Ogle at the commander? What an unproductive waste of time. 

Solas approached Ellana casually and she huffed when he moved to stand beside her. _Still angry, I see._

"Surely the great _Herald of Andraste_ has better things to do than lust after soldiers," he stated tersely, unsure what possessed him to approach her in the first place. 

He waited for a response but none came. _So she's not talking to me now?_ He moved into her line of vision, but she turned away. Solas was quickly becoming frustrated. "I thought the Dalish were above bedding humans. What would your _beloved clan_ say if they saw such behavior from their _First_?" he continued calmly, but the girl remained silent, still refusing to look at him. 

His patience was at an end. He was being harassed on a daily basis, forced to erect traps in his own cabin and now he was receiving the silent treatment from a quickling child! _I will not be ignored by the likes of you_! he thought bitterly and summoned a tiny ball of electricity to his fingertips. Quickly, he slammed it into her back, causing her to jump. 

She whirled around to face him. "What the _HELL_ , Solas?!" she hissed, finally acknowledging him. 

"Ah, so she _can_ speak," he replied smugly. "And here I thought you'd done the world a favor by going mute." 

She narrowed her eyes at the jab. "Well maybe if you said something worth responding to, you wouldn't have to resort to magic to get a woman's attention!" she retorted and then a sly smirk formed on her lips. "Really Solas, I didn't take you for the jealous type." 

_Jealous type?? As if SHE could make me jealous._ "Oh, I assure you, jealousy has nothing to do with it. I was merely surprised by your choice in men, that is all." 

Ellana raised an eyebrow, looking amused and turned her gaze back to the commander. "I fail to see what's so surprising. What's wrong with being attracted to someone so... _talented_?" she asked in a low voice. "Just look at the precision with which he handles his blade, how he dominates the battlefield. It makes a girl wonder what else he's capable of _dominating."_

An unbidden image of Ellana with the commander flashed through his mind causing a spike of hot anger. _As if I care who you choose to entangle yourself with,_ he thought stubbornly and willed his temper down. 

"I simply wasn't aware of your fascination with _humans_...though I suppose I should have guessed after the incident with Blackwall," he replied calmly, thankful that he was able to maintain control of his voice. 

She smiled, still looking at Cullen. "Flirting with Blackwall was just a bit of fun. Cullen though...gods, look how he's built!" she said, letting her gaze drift up and down the man's form. 

Finally, she turned back to Solas and continued. "Since you are _clearly_ not jealous of Cullen, I can only assume you chose this line of inquiry because you are _genuinely_ interested in understanding his appeal," she said in a mock serious tone. "You see, someone with his...impressive build is ideal for _certain_ things," she said and then paused, turning her gaze back to the human. 

She began whispering softly and Solas could not quite make out her words. Instinctively, he leaned closer and his jaw dropped. The insipid woman was whispering in _Elvhen_! Not once had she spoken more two words to him in Elvhen and now it was spilling from her mouth as naturally as she spoke the trade tongue..his eyes widened involuntarily when he realized she was describing all the filthy things she wanted Cullen to do to her...with _perfect pronunciation_ no less! 

He quickly closed his mouth, but was unable to think of a response. His mind was so stuck on her words that he didn't notice when she moved to face him again until it was too late. 

Gently, she bit her lower lip as she looked at him with half-lidded eyes shining with unhidden lust. Her breathing had became uneven, but she continued speaking Elvhen while describing how much she wanted to be held down and forced to beg for release. 

She was moving closer to him now and he found himself frozen in place. Solas could feel the heat from her body and was unable to stop a jolt of arousal as she described exactly _how_ she wanted her lover to reduce her to begging. 

_Fenhedis!_

He needed to get away from her. _Now_. But his body refused to obey and he remained frozen in place, with his pants tightening uncomfortably around his growing bulge. 

Ellana broke their eye contact as she leaned past him. He felt hot breath on his ear, causing him to shiver involuntarily. Why wouldn't his body just _move_ already? 

"I'm curious...would you be able to make me beg, Solas?" she whispered huskily. The question made him regain his senses and he shoved her away, disgusted with himself. Spinning around, he practically ran back to the gates of Haven. She was laughing behind him, but he refused to give her the satisfaction of a backwards glance. 

He needed to get somewhere private and wait for his erection so subside. Unfortunately the only private place he could think of was his own cabin... which was currently littered with traps. He made his way there anyway, deciding he'd just have to just reset them tomorrow. 

Intending to disarm the first trap, he cautiously approached his door, but it suddenly swung open and he collided with a warm body. They both toppled over, landing directly onto a modified spike trap which hurled them back into the cabin and onto several of the elemental mines littering the floor. The mines sprayed paint everywhere, covering them both in thick brown liquid. 

Solas felt something soft beneath him only to realize that the body he collided with belonged to _Sera_ and that she had cushioned his fall. 

Her paint speckled face was etched in horror."What the Frigg is THAT?!" she yelled, trying to push him off of her. For the second time that night, Solas Froze. His softening erection was pressing against her thigh and he cursed. 

"Get the FUCK OFF!" she yelled, elbowing him in the ribs. He rolled over, landing on more mines which sprayed paint directly into his mouth causing him to gag. 

"FRIGGIN ARSE BISCUIT!" she screamed and bolted from the cabin. 

Solas groaned, pushing himself up. A crowd had gathered and he cringed again when he heard Varric laughing. 

"I am SO glad I gave you those traps, Chuckles!" he laughed. "You can't make this sort of shit up." 

"I'm glad you find this so amusing," he replied wiping paint from his eyes. 

Varric's smile grew wider. "Well, I'll just leave you to explain this to our lovely Herald," he said, glancing behind him at as Ellana approached. 

_Fenhedis!_ He did NOT want to deal with her right now. 

"Explain this, Now!" Ellana snapped as she entered the cabin. Solas remained silent. _See how you like it._

"Are those spike traps and elemental mines??" she asked, horrified. "Solas what the HELL were you thinking?!" 

He suddenly realized how bad this must look. "I modified them. They are harmless, I assure you," he replied quickly. 

She gave him a doubtful look. "And why was your cabin rigged with traps, exactly?" she asked tersely. 

Varric intervened and placed a hand on her arm. "He's been getting hit pretty hard with pranks lately. He just wanted to catch the person doing it. You can't really blame him for that, right?" 

Despite the dwarf's efforts her face remained stony. "I see. And did you test these _supposedly_ harmless traps before setting all this up?" she asked coldly. 

Solas looked away, knowing nothing he could say would make this look any better. 

Ellana took a deep breath. "So... am I to understand that you used untested, modified _deadly_ traps just to catch someone playing a _prank_ on you?" she asked in disbelief. 

"Damn right he did!" Sera yelled, coming to stand next to the Herald. "I managed to avoid them too, until Elfy here decided to _tackle_ me to the ground and rub his gross _man-bits_ all over my thigh! You really hire on some _weirdoes,_ ya know that! " 

Solas felt himself pale as he locked eyes with a _very_ smug looking Ellana. 

"I did no such thing!" he snapped defensively. " _She_ was in MY cabin without permission! How was I to know that she would collide with me as I was entering my own cabin?" 

Sera was still fuming. "Yeah? Well if the STUPID windows hadn't been BOOBY-FUCKIN-TRAPPED, then I wouldn't have been using the STUPID door to begin with!" she countered. 

"Well YOU shouldn't have been IN my cabin at all!" he snarled back. _How is this even debatable??_

Ellana stepped between them glaring at Solas. "Sera is not to blame here!" she snapped. 

_She can't possibly be serious,_ he thought as rage began building inside him. "How, exactly is she NOT to blame?" he asked, attempting to reign in his temper. 

The herald sighed impatiently. "Everyone expects this type of behavior from Sera. _You_ , on the other hand should _know better_ than to endanger the members of this Inquisition with such a childish display of reckless behavior," she said coolly. "What if the traps hadn't worked as you intended? What if someone had been hurt?" 

Solas's face contorted in anger. "So just because Sera is _expected_ to behave foolishly, she can do whatever she pleases?" he asked, barely able to keep his voice steady. "I truly fear for the fate of the Inquisition... My only comfort is knowing that _you_ are not in charge!" he spat, storming out of his cabin. 

He circled around the back and leaned against the outside wall. Inside, he heard Ellana and Sera chatting. 

"I think you should lay off Solas for a bit," Ellana said calmly. 

"Gwah! You don't have to tell me twice! You weren't the one who had to feel his... _parts_ pressing up on you! I'm gonna have nightmares 'bout this!" Sera replied and Ellana laughed. 

Fuming, Solas left to wash the paint from his clothes and body. 

\------------------------------------- 

Ellana sent Sera to the tavern to clean herself up while she and Varric stayed to neutralize the remaining traps. Idly, she wondered if they pushed him too far this time. _But oh man, his face was so PERFECT!_

Still, she knew Sera had crossed the line when she ruined his paints. As soon as she found out, Ellana had put in a request to replace them and new paints would be arriving any day now. _Somehow I doubt a few tubs of new paint will appease him though._

She frowned at the mess. _Now why would Solas allow everything to get covered in paint just to catch Sera?_ It didn't make sense. Taking one last look around, she spied another trap hidden behind the shutters of his window. 

Smiling, Ellana pointed to the last trap. "Can you tell me what this one does?" she asked sweetly. "These traps _are_ yours, aren't they?" 

Varric blanched. "Um, well, you see, that's quite a funny story...." _Oh no you don't!_ she thought and interrupted before he had a chance to spin another tale. 

"It's OK, Varric. Just tell me about this trap here and my lips are sealed. It's laced with magic, but what kind and why?" she asked. 

The dwarf looked relieved. "I don't know anything about what he did to the thing. Honestly, I stopped listening to his explanation about five minutes into it...all I remember was him saying something about needing to charge it with magic after the other ones went off," he replied. "Really, that's all I know." 

_Curious...it doesn't seem to be offensive in nature..._

Carefully, she charged the trap with her magic and ducked when she heard a soft click. At first nothing happened, but then she felt the sensation of a barrier being activated throughout the cabin. It seemed to be wrapped around all his possessions, but _underneath_ the paint. _Oh you clever, clever man,_ she thought as the barriers lifted the paint, sliding it out of the cabin. 

With the cabin clean and free of traps, she and Varric left to have some drinks in the tavern. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully I will have more written in the next few days. Again, please let me know if there is anything you want to see happen and please let me know if you see any mistakes


	5. Ch 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solas confronts Ellana in her cabin and Dorian decides to join the party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not sure how I feel about the first part of this chapter. It might be too soon for this type of encounter between them. Let me know if you think it fits into the story right now. If not, I will remove it and add something like this later on.

\------------------------------

That night Ellana lay awake, unable to get the events of the day out of her mind. She actually felt bad. 

_Why couldn't Sera have just triggered the traps without dragging Solas into it? Then he could have had his petty revenge and I wouldn't feel so wretched! Ugh! This is so stupid!_

_Maybe I should just go apologize..._ She knew it would be the only way to feel better. Either he would accept her apology and things would be awkward for a while, or he would reject it and she could go back to being angry. Either option was better than what she was feeling now. 

Ellana threw off her covers and grabbed a cloak, intending to seek out Solas, but she was halted by a knock on her door. 

_Who would bother me this late?_ she wondered, opening the door only to see Solas. _Speak of the devil._ She moved aside to let him in, softly shutting the door behind him. 

His posture was stiff and his face unreadable. Immediately, his eyes darted to her cloak. "Were you going somewhere?" he asked tersely. _That's probably not a good sign._

She forced herself to smile casually and relax her posture. "I was actually about to look for you, but it seems you've saved me the trouble," she replied, keeping her voice even. She shrugged the cloak off, realizing that she was still in her pajamas. 

They were not suggestive by any means, but they were a bit form fitting and somewhat thin. Being Dalish, she was hardly modest when it came to her body, not to mention that he'd seen her in these pajamas before... _So why do I feel so self conscious all of a sudden?_

He moved his hands behind his back and locked eyes with her. "Was there something you wished to discuss?" he asked, curtly. 

"I-Yes, please come in," she replied, gesturing for him to come further inside, but he refused to move. _Stubborn aren't we? Right, let's just get it over with._ "I...well...I realize that my statements earlier today were uncalled for and that I should have handled the situation differently," she stated awkwardly. 

Solas remained silent. _Creators, he's going to make me say it, isn't he?_ She took a deep breath. "What I am trying to say is that I... _apologize_ ," she finished through gritted teeth, making it clear how difficult it was for her admit. 

He remained quiet and silence stretched between them. Ellana looked down, breaking eye contact. "I was unaware that your personal effects were being damaged. I asked Josephine to order some new paints which should be here in a few days." 

She looked and found him still staring at her. "Solas?" she asked, moving closer to him. Any response would be better than _this_. Instinctively she reached for his arm. Before she could even feel the sweater beneath her fingers, she found herself roughly flung around and shoved against the door. 

"What are you do-" 

"Shut. Up." he said, cutting her off. "Did you really think that I would be satisfied with a mere apology?" he asked, holding his body away from hers. "No, Herald. I came here tonight for an _explanation_. I want you to tell me _exactly_ what you were thinking during our little chat this evening" he commanded calmly. "And while we are on the topic, you will also tell me where you learned to speak Elvhen." 

Ellana tested the strength of his hold only to have his hands tighten around her arms. She immediately felt the heat of arousal between her thighs and cursed inwardly. _So he speaks more Elvhen than I thought. Shit._ She had not expected him to fully understand everything she said that evening. _Serves me right, I learned to speak Elvhen while playing in the fade, I should have guessed he would have done the same._

She stared into his steel blue eyes and focused on her next words. "I did not expect you understand what I said," she said truthfully. "I appear to have underestimated your knowledge of our culture." 

"So it would seem," he replied moving closer to her, but not allowing any contact other than his hands on her arms. "Now explain...Where. Did. You. Learn. To. Speak. Elvhen?" he asked in a low voice. 

Ellana smiled smugly. _Time for some fun._ "I was the First of my clan. It was necessary for me to study our language. I am more curious as to where _you_ learned it. Though I suspect you will just give me some bullshit answer like you _learned it in the fade_ ," she replied evenly. 

"You are lying da'len," he replied, leaning closer to whisper in her ear. "But that is no matter. I will learn the truth eventually." Goose bumps began forming on her neck and she felt him smile into her ear. His breath was hot and she forced herself not to lean into him. "Did you really believe that I would not understand your words this evening? I did not take you for one to underestimate someone so easily. Or perhaps living in the woods among your clan has made you accustomed to a certain level of ignorance," he said while moving his mouth away from her ear to make eye contact with her again. 

The corner of his mouth quirked up slightly as he continued. "You all but spelled out exactly how you like to be touched. I wonder, what should I do with that information?" he asked and his eyes took on a spark of playfulness she had only seen a handful of times before. His focus became so intense she found herself looking away involuntarily. 

He slowly raised her arms above her head holding her wrists tightly in one hand. "Let's see...I recall that you prefer to be held down while your lover starts off with slow, soft caresses...you like to be built up until you can stand it no longer," he said, moving his free hand to grasp her chin. Firmly, he tilted her face, forcing eye contact once more. 

Ellana couldn't prevent the her heart from racing or the heaviness of her breath. _I can't believe this is happening,_ she thought as she tried to maintain control of her physical reaction to him. Her mind was reeling, yet she could think of no suitable response and was forced to remain silent. _I wonder if this is how he felt earlier._

The playfulness lighting his eyes made him seem softer and she suddenly realized how attractive he was. _How did I not notice earlier? Oh that's right, it must have something to do with him being a pretentious ass._

"I am curious, have you ever been with another mage?" he asked. She shook her head in response and he smirked. "Ah yes, you were the only mage in your clan save you Keeper. I can only imagine that your... _limited_ experiences must have been quite boring." 

_Why would being with a mage be any different than-oh._ Suddenly she felt a chill as magical frost emanated from his fingertips. "Even the simplest of magic can change a simple caress into something... _more_ ," he said, hovering his fingers over her cheek. 

His hand was close enough for her to feel the chill of his magic, but not quite touching as he slowly moved it down her neck. "So the answer to your question from earlier today" he said in an infuriately steady tone, "is yes. I _could_ make you beg...quite easily, in fact...Perhaps if you were a better person, I would even be inclined to show you exactly _how_." 

Ellana could no longer hide her arousal. Still, she was not about to let him win without a fight. "Creators, Solas," she said in a breathy voice. "Now I _really_ can't wait for the mages to join us.. Something tells me that being cooped up in the tower and watched by templars would have inspired some... _creativity_ ," she said huskily. 

Solas's hand clenched even tighter around her wrist and she moaned audibly. His face contorted in anger as he moved his head closer to hers, stopping just shy of her lips. " _Dirthara-ma_ ," he whispered vehemently then pulled back, shoving her away from him. 

She felt strangely empty at their loss of proximity and had to force herself not to reach for him as he turned away from her. "It matters little to me if you decide to whore yourself out," he said calmly and exited her cabin without looking back. 

_What just happened?_ she wondered as she plopped down onto her bed. _Is he actually attracted to me or just getting revenge?_ She found herself hoping he was legitimately attracted to her, but knew it was unlikely. 

_Either way, it's still a fun twist to our game,_ she thought as she silently analyzed the situation. He had been calm during the entire encounter, only becoming upset after she mentioned the other mages... _Not the jealous type my ass._

\-------------------------- 

Solas found himself pacing around his cabin. Once again he had acted without thinking and behaved foolishly. _Why did I go to see her anyway?_ He couldn't even remember his original purpose. It certainly wasn't to sexually assault the woman! She actually apologized and was behaving like a decent person and in response he shoved her against the wall. 

No, he wasn't at fault. She is to blame. _If she hadn't behaved like such a harlot with the commander then none of this would have happened! She can bed this whole wretched Inquisition for all I care. Maybe it would improve her attitude,_ he thought bitterly. 

He should be focusing on his plans and not on _other things_. The breach needed to be closed so they could lure Corypheus into the open and he could get his orb back. Everything else should be of little importance. Things would be fine as long he kept her safe until the orb was back in his possession. _Except that I might kill her first._

He lowered himself onto the bed, trying to clear his mind, but whenever he closed his eyes an image of her pressed against the wall flashed before him. Her wrists felt so small in his hand and she had been so _responsive_ to him. He had expected her to feel fragile and weak, but that was not the case. Instead she felt warm, sturdy and _real_. It was unnerving and he tried not to dwell on it. 

\---------------------------- 

About a week later they received an invitation back to Redcliffe, well _she_ was invited at least. The operation would be dangerous but they finally had the opening they needed to secure the mages and she was _not_ about to pass it up. To top it off, Dorian showed up out of the blue and demanded to go with her. It was suspicious, but she believed him to be genuine and wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. Besides, he seemed to be good company. 

To Ellana's delight, it had taken Dorian and Solas all of two minutes to hate each other. Solas seemed to hate Tevinter almost as much as he hated the Dalish. The elf had immediately spurned the poor man's friendly attempt at conversation with judgmental insults. Thankfully Dorian took it in stride and decided to focus his attentions on her instead, which seemed to only further upset Solas. 

Ellana was looking forward to travelling with the two of them...until she discovered they would be riding to Redcliffe on horseback. 

Now, she had _some_ riding practice before they left, but certainly not enough to make her feel comfortable riding a giant war horse. _I should have just refused to accept this stupid beast and risked offending Master Dennet. It's not like he's a noble or anything._

About an hour into the trip and she was seriously considering spooking the animal in the middle of the night and feigning tears at its disappearance. How did people ride something this big and not feel like they would be thrown off at any moment? 

"Ellana, my dear, are you certain you are able to ride on your own?" Dorian asked, smiling. 

She would have scowled at him if she weren't so focused on steering the giant black monster. "I'm fine. I just need to get used to it," she replied uneasily. "But why did he give the biggest one? Wouldn't it have been better to give me some mild tempered, _smaller_ horse instead?" 

Varric laughed and led his horse to ride next to Ellana. "Sorry, but the horse you just described was already spoken for," he said, patting his tiny mare on the head. "Shame they didn't have another one as sweet as she is." 

Dorian moved to her other side. "You'll never make the right statement riding like _that_!" he exclaimed dramatically. "You look like you are about to be sick. Here, let me show you." 

To Ellana's horror, he let go of his reins, moved his legs to one side of the horse and just _hopped_ right onto hers, landing gracefully behind her. "Varric, be a lamb and grab the reins for me? I doubt she will run, but one can never be too careful," he said cheerfully and the dwarf grabbed the reins of the rider-less horse. 

Dorian moved his arms around Ellana's waist and covered her hands with his. "You need to feel the motions of the horse as if it is your own. Take the reins in your left hand and guide his movements. He will feel even the smallest command." To illustrate the point, he steered the horse gently back and forth. "See? Don't worry, I won't let you fall. Now, come on, let's have some fun," he said, kicking his heels into the horse which immediately began to gallop. 

"No, no, no! Slow down! Dorian, slow down!" she screeched but The mage only laughed in response. 

His arms tightened around her reassuringly and after a moment he slowed the horse back down to a walk. "I think we may have upset your elven friend," he said playfully. 

"What do you mean?" Ellana asked, turning to look at the man sitting behind her. 

"Are you telling me you _didn't_ see his face when I jumped on your horse?" he asked, laughing. "He looked like a rabid dog. I can still practically _feel_ him glowering back there." 

"I missed one of his angry faces!" Ellana exclaimed, then covered her mouth when she realized she'd spoken out loud. 

Dorian smirked. "Is there something you want to tell me?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. _Shit._

"Not at all," she replied and then matched his smirk. "I just enjoy how _expressive_ he can occasionally be. 

His smile grew wider. "Well then we can't let such an opportunity go to waste, now can we?" he exclaimed, turning the horse around and trotting back to their companions. 

Dorian led the horse to walk next to Solas who was pointedly not looking at them. "You ride remarkably well for an elf, Solas." Dorian said, trying to make conversation. 

"I fail to see what being an elf has to do with one's riding skill," he said without looking at them. "Though I suppose you wouldn't see many skilled riders among your slaves." 

She felt Dorian tense behind her. "I've already told you that I don't own any slaves." 

"But your family does." Solas said matter-of-factly. 

Ellana moved her hand from under Dorian's and placed it on top of his, stoking her thumb over his fingers gently. It wasn't his fault he was born in Tevinter any more that it was her fault for being born Dalish. 

She felt Dorian relax at the same time she saw Solas stiffen. _Good._

"Well, yes, they do own slaves," Dorian stated. "But I can hardly be faulted for the actions of my family. I mean, no one back home even knows any different. _I_ didn't even know any different until I came to the south." 

Solas finally turned to face them. "Not knowing any different does not make you blind to the suffering of others. No, you simply chose to ignore it for the sake of complacency." 

She felt Dorian's hand tighten on the reins and she glared at Solas. 

"What exactly do you think we _do_ with our slaves?" he asked, bewildered. "I mean, I've heard stories of mistreatment, but I've never seen it personally." 

Ellana saw Solas go rigid and decided it was time to step in. "Enough!" she snapped at Solas. "Dorian, don't let him get to you. He's a judgmental ass to everyone, trust me." 

"Oh? And here I thought I was special to you, Solas. I am deeply hurt," Dorian said, having regained his composure. "Am I sensing some resentment, dear Ellana? Has our elven apostate unfairly assessed your upbringing as well?" 

Ellana snorted. "Something like that," she said. 

Dorian leaned closer to her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Solas's frown deepen. "I've never met a Dalish before and I must admit to being very curious about the markings on your face. Is it too bold to inquire as to their meaning?" he asked softly. 

Ellana smiled. "They are marks to honor the elven gods. When we come of age, we choose the god we identify the most with and their vallaslin is placed upon us." 

"Fascinating. Which god does yours honor?" he asked clearly intrigued. 

"Mythal, she who protects what is precious," she replied hoping the answer would quell any further questions he may have as to why she chose that particular vallaslin. They were still riding next to Solas and even though his eyes were fixed in front of him, she knew he was listening to every word. 

Dorian shifted her around so she was sitting backwards on the horse. His free hand traced the lines on her face and she found herself blushing under his scrutiny. His eyes sparkled playfully and darted to the other elf. "It is beautiful," he whispered loud enough for Solas to hear. 

_I knew there was something I liked about him,_ she thought as Solas furrowed his eyebrows. 

Dorian urged the horse to walk faster which gave Ellana a clear view of Solas, whose face showed a strange mixture between a murderous glare and a petulant pout. It was actually rather cute. 

After a few moments Dorian leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "Now that we are out of ear shot, you simply _must_ tell me what is going on between you and Solas." 

"What do you mean?" she asked innocently, moving his hands to rest on her hips. Solas may not be able to hear them from this distance, but he could certainly still see how cozy they were being. 

"Don't you play coy, dear Herald. You can't tell me there is _nothing_ between you two, not after _that_!" 

Ellana laughed. "Oh, I think you must be mistaken. Solas and I don't exactly get on well." 

"Oh, that is even better!" he exclaimed. "The angry little elf doesn't even realize what he's doing! Please tell me that we can poke at him a bit!" 

She smiled widely. "You, Mr. Pavus are a man after my own heart," she said and giggled when he spun her back around to sit forward facing again. 

They trotted back to Varric and Dorian gracefully remounted his mare. Ellana was back in control of the giant horse and she frowned. _Just think of it as a really big Halla...with giant hooves that could crush your skull."_

"You OK, Violet," Varric asked and she was unsure if the dwarf was more concerned or amused. 

"Yeah. I will be fine. I think I'm getting the hang of it," she replied unevenly. 

\----------------------- 

Ellana made sure to pack enough tents this time and Solas was glad to have the small amount of privacy it afforded him. Outside the other three were happily chatting around the campfire and he could see their silhouettes through the tent lining. Ellana and the Tevinter were sitting very close to each other which bothered him. 

_How can she possibly involve herself with someone who never thought twice about keeping slaves? The only good quality of the Dalish is their hatred of slavery and yet here she is, practically throwing herself at him!_

He unpacked his bedroll and busied himself with laying herbs out to dry. After several minutes he heard the flaps of his tent open. 

"Have you seen Ellana?" Dorian asked. "I went to my tent for only a moment and now she is gone." 

Solas sighed. "No, I have not seen her. Have you tried her tent?" he asked tersely. 

"Easy Sparkler," Varric said, peeking through the other tent flap. "She just went to the lake to bathe. She'll be back in a little bit." 

The Tevinter looked confused. "By herself? Please tell me that you don't let her just go off on her own like that on a regular basis?" he asked, clearly exasperated. 

"Violet can handle herself," Varric said. "Besides, she's the only girl. It would be weird if one of us went with her." 

"And she does set wards," Solas added, slightly offended that the man would imply carelessness on his part. 

Dorian sighed dramatically. "How exactly would wards protect her from an assailant?" he asked, frowning. "Alert her to their presence maybe, but she would still be at a severe disadvantage if forced to face multiple enemies while naked and without her staff." 

Dorian pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly frustrated. "Must I remind you that we are literally on our way to meet with a Magister who belongs to a _cult_? Not just any cult, but one that just happens to be _obsessed_ with her specifically? Oh and did I not mention that the cultists are _mages?"_ he asked, pausing. Neither companion replied and he sighed again. "Mages do tend to be _familiar_ with disarming wards," he finished, scowling. 

Neither Solas or the Dwarf could think of a suitable reply. 

"I am surrounded by idiots," Dorian stated before marching off in the direction of the lake. 

Varric looked bemused. "Do you think he realizes that she might try and kill him if she finds him spying on her?" Varric laughed, clearly unconcerned about the Herald. "She is way too smart to get caught unaware by the venatori. I think he just wanted some _alone_ time with her, if you know what I mean," he said closing the tent flap and sitting back at the fire. 

Solas frowned at the thought of Dorian and Ellana having _alone time_ together...while she was naked...and wet. _Fenhedis! How do we know we can even trust him? That he isn't secretly working for the venatori himself?_

Solas grabbed his staff and marched out of his tent toward the lake. Behind him he heard Varric chuckle and mumble something about needing to give his romance series another shot. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation of Dirthara-ma: "May you learn" - meant as in insult or curse - I remember reading somewhere that it is used when you are wishing someone to endure some terrible life experience to make the learn/grow as a person...you know, in the way only tragedy can bring about. 
> 
> Please let me know what you think of the chapter. All the feedback I have received so far has been amazing and I really appreciate it!


	6. Ch 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ellana and Dorian bond a bit more at the expense of a certain elf and Ellana deals with what she sees in the future during _In Hushed Whispers_  
> 
> 
> Please read and review. Constructive criticism is always appreciated :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a slightly darker chapter because I simply can't accept that anyone could watch their friends sacrifice themselves and immediately just be OK with it, even if they didn't _really_ die.

\------------------------

Ellana was just about done washing up when she heard Dorian's footsteps approaching and then stop abruptly. _So he thinks he can sneak up on a Dalish elf in the woods? Silly human._

"Can I help you Dorian?" she called out and laughed when she heard a choking sound coming from behind a tree. 

"How did you know?" he asked moving towards the lake, his head bowed to preserve her modesty. 

"I'm Dalish, remember?" she chuckled. "And It's OK, I have by my underthings on. We Dalish don't really have the same sense of propriety as you humans do anyway. Why are you here?" 

Dorian looked up, taking in her appearance. She saw no signs of lust in his gaze, which was refreshing. Actually, he gave off the same aura of familiarity that a clan mate would. 

He approached the water's edge and she waded closer to him, feeling content. 

Dorian flashed her a dashing smile, which she returned happily. "Why, I was concerned for you of course! You are a young woman bathing alone with half the world trying to kill you. It's simply not safe." __

"How very noble of you, " she replied, unoffended. "But I am hardly defenseless, especially in the woods." 

"Still, I have grown rather fond of you and it would be a shame if something happened to that adorable little face of yours," he said, making a show of examining her closely. "I take that back. It wouldn't _merely_ be a shame, it would be a _tragedy_!" he exclaimed, making her laugh again. 

In the distance she heard footsteps, and her ears perked up. They were quieter than a human's and the stride was graceful, albeit hurried. "I believe we will soon have company," she said smiling. "Solas, I believe." 

Ellana waded out of the lake and sat down next to Dorian. "So do you still want to poke the beast?" she asked, smiling. 

In the moonlight she saw his eyes brighten and a clever smirk graced his lips. "My darling girl, you read my thoughts exactly," he replied. "Now stand up and follow my lead," he commanded. "Let's give him something to stew over." 

The sound of footsteps came to a halt and she furtively gestured to where she knew him to be hiding. _There is no way he could possibly think I wouldn't notice him,_ she thought and whispered her concerns to Dorian. 

"Then he would not bother hiding unless he thinks to conceal himself from _me_ ," he whispered back and smiled suggestively. "Go on, give him a look and let him _know_ that you are aware of him." 

Ellana turned her head in the other elf's direction and raised her eyebrows as if to ask what he wanted. Obviously there was no response. _Any normal person would have come out and joined us by now, not lurk in the shadows like a pervert._

Dorian moved his hand under her chin and gently tilted her head to face him once again. "You are shivering," he stated romantically, but still loud enough for Solas to hear. "Allow me warm you," he finished and she felt heat radiate from his palms. 

He moved both his hands over her shoulders and slowly caressed his way down her arms and to her waist. She thought he would stop there, but he did not. She heard herself gasp when he knelt down, continuing to move his hands down her thighs, all the while maintaining eye contact with her. Thankfully there was only playful mischief reflecting in his gaze without even a hint of heat behind it. 

_I wonder how this must look, a Tevinter noble kneeling in the moonlight before an elf, clad only in a breast band and underthings. I bet Varric would be inspired._

"Does that feel better?" he asked. 

"Much," she replied in a breathy voice, helping him back to his feet. 

Dorian picked up her bathing supplies and wrapped a towel around her. Ever the gentleman, he slung her bag over his shoulder and strapped her staff to his back next to his own. "Shall we head back to camp?" he asked softly. "The others were not overly concerned, but it would still be best not to stay too long." 

She nodded in response and they began walking away from the peaceful little lake. 

At some point, Solas had made his way onto the path directly in front of them and stood, arms crossed over his chest in obvious disapproval. 

Dorian snickered quietly. "He looks just like an angry father who's caught his precious daughter climbing out the window in the middle of the night. Better watch out, Ellie, I think he means to give you a talking to!" 

Ellana laughed, but quieted herself as they approached the dour elf. "Hello, Solas," she greeted cheerfully and his frown deepened. "Was there something you needed? Or have you come to wash up as well?" 

Solas shook his head. "No, da'len. I came to see to your safety," he stated crisply. 

She smiled widely at him, knowing he would hate it. "Thank you, Solas, but Dorian was kind enough to meet me at the lake and walk me back. I appreciate the thought though!" she said happily and made to move past him, but he grabbed her arm, forcing her attention back to him. 

"Perhaps I should clarify. I came to see to your safety...from him," he said flatly. 

Ellana was genuinely confused. "Why would I need to be protected from Dorian?" she asked, hoping this was not going where she thought it was. 

Dorian stepped closer to Ellana and Solas removed his hand from her arm. "Yes, why does she need to be protected from me? Have I given any cause for suspicion?" He asked. 

"No, but you have not proven yourself trustworthy either. You cannot fault me for being cautious," Solas replied and she felt Dorian tense. 

"Being _cautious_?!" he exclaimed. "You were the one who just let her wander off alone without a second thought! Do you even realize how many people are trying to _kill_ her?" 

"Yes, and it occurs to me that you might be one of them," Solas continued in the same flat tone. 

She could see Dorian turning red, even through the darkness. "I- How?" he started, and paused to take a deep breath. "You know what, never mind. Good on you for _finally_ being cautious," he finished and turned to her instead. "While we are on the subject, Ellana...and I hope this doesn't come off the wrong way... but _please_ don't go off by yourself anymore?" he asked pleadingly. "Now, I realize that you are a grown woman who is beyond capable of taking care of herself, but I was concerned for you and, well, I don't like to feel _worried_." 

He grasped both her hands in his and she saw genuine concern spread across his features. "So, please? For _me_?" he asked again. 

He was giving her puppy dog eyes now and Ellana couldn't stop herself from laughing at his overly dramatic display. _Gods_ , _I hope we can keep him._ "Very well, but only because it would be a _tragedy_ if your pretty face became marred with worry lines," she replied and they made their way back to camp with Solas trailing behind. 

\---------------------------------- 

Later that evening found Solas alone in his tent once more. The others had retired for the night and he was enjoying a brief moment of quiet. Well he _was_ enjoying a brief moment of quiet until he heard soft footsteps approaching that could only belong to _her_. 

"Solas?" he heard Ellana say hesitantly, peeking her head into the tent. 

"Yes?" he asked briskly, not wanting to talk. 

She entered, closing the flap behind her. "I think you should apologize to Dorian," she stated. "You have been extremely unkind to him since he arrived." 

Solas took a calming breath. He would not let his temper guide him this time. "I have no intention of befriending the likes of _him_ ," he replied evenly. 

Ellana shook her head. "The likes of him? _Really_ , Solas?" she said, looking disappointed. "You would condemn him solely for being brought up in Tevinter? Or is it because he's human?" 

"Neither," he replied. "I condemn him for not acting against injustices as they are occurring right before his eyes. A better man would try to change things." 

"How can you expect him to even recognize such injustices if he was never shown otherwise?" she asked. 

"How could he _not_ recognize the injustice of slavery?" he countered, letting his tone slip. _No, I will not let this undo me,_ he thought, taking measured breaths to regain control. 

Ellana shook her head, frowning."For whatever reason he left his homeland and his old life behind. Clearly, he thought _something_ must be wrong. And now he's trying to help and do what is right," she said calmly. "Perhaps instead of belittling him for his upbringing, you should try to help him understand that there is a better way." 

Solas could not believe what he was hearing. That stupid Magister in training was only using her for his own purposes. Granted, he had no idea _what_ those purposes may be and he was certainly _not_ going draw any parallels to himself. Still, that mage was up to something and she was playing right into his hand. How could she not see that? 

"Are you certain you are not merely blinded by his charm?" Solas asked with more bitterness than he intended. "You two seem to have become quite familiar with each other for having only just met," he finished, hating how petty he sounded. 

She paused, clearly thinking over her next words. He expected her temper to flair, but it did not. Her normally proud posture slumped and she looked tired. "I apologize for taking your time," she said sadly and hesitated briefly as she opened the tent flap, turning to face him again. 

Disappointment darkened her usually bright eyes. It was like all the light had been snuffed out of them. "It's my fault really," she whispered, " for believing you were better than this." 

And then she was gone, leaving him alone once more, staring at her silhouette as it disappeared from view. 

\------------------------- 

Four days later and they were back in Haven with the mages, which was good...but Ellana was still unsure how she felt about the events in Redcliffe castle. 

The severity of her responsibly finally weighed down upon her. Prior to this, she had been holding onto the small hope that once the breach was closed she could just sort of fade into the background until no one noticed her anymore...but who was she fooling anyway? _Even if there wasn't a crazed up Elder One, they will never just let me be...not while I have the divine mark of stupid Andraste seared into my flesh._

Knowing that her fate was now sealed wasn't even the worst part. Oh no, she would let them leash and collar her a million times over so long as she never had to witness her friends sacrifice themselves for her again. 

_I am dying, but no matter._

His words kept echoing through her mind and she couldn't even look at Solas since returning from the future. His calm acceptance of his fate had been lined with something akin to relief. Like he was meeting an end he both yearned for, yet feared. _I suppose I would long for death too if I was locked in a dungeon for a year with red lyrium growing out of me._

Watching his lifeless corpse tossed aside by a demon was probably the absolute worst experience of her life. His eyes had been open and the sight was forever etched in her memory. They were void of everything and had become vacant steel-blue windows to the place where Solas _should_ have been. 

She wished someone could make her forget. 

"...And, you're not listening," Sera said, bringing Ellana back to the present. 

"Sorry," she mumbled, looking away. 

The blonde frowned. "Sooo...Do you wanna talk 'bout it?" she asked, "what's buggin' ya, I mean." 

Ellana smiled, but knew it didn't reach her eyes. "Not particularly." 

Sera tilted her head and grinned. "Hey, I know!" she exclaimed excitedly. "We could play more pranks on elfy, that'd cheer you right up!" 

"NO!" Ellana snapped louder than she intended. "I mean, no," she said more calmly. "I, that is...I am just not feeling well. Meet me for drinks tomorrow?" she asked. "I promise, I will be in better spirits," she lied. 

Sera blinked slowly, clearly not buying her story. "If you say so," she replied dropping it, allowing Ellana to excuse herself to try and get some fresh air. 

She needed something to distract her...like closing the breach. They should just go close it now, but she had been told several times over that they had to wait until the mages _organized_ themselves. 

_Herald, please be patient, they have only just arrived. They must be allowed to settle in. It will only take a few weeks at most, do not worry,_ Josephine had told her. 

_Oh no, let's not worry about the giant hole in the sky. Creators forbid the mages fulfill their part of the bargain before they have a bath! Pampered tower brats._

\-------- 

Solas watched Ellana, had _been_ watching Ellana since she returned from the future with Dorian. She'd been avoiding him and would barely even look at him. He should feel relieved that she was leaving him alone, but instead it felt like he was being punished. 

The whole trip back to Haven the girl had clung to Dorian the way a child clings to her older brother, even going so far as to call him _Lethallin_. Not that he cared of course. She was free to pursue companionship with whoever she wanted. Still, something didn't add up. 

Dorian seemed no worse for the ware after their little trip to the future. Now that he thought about it, Ellana seemed to be fine as well...except for where _he_ was concerned. The whole situation was bothersome and he was beginning to feel annoyed. 

Why would she treat him like a pariah for no reason? Was she still upset about his comments to the Tevinter? No, there must be something more going on. She wouldn't behave this way over a mere difference of opinion. _Would she?_

Solas's ears perked up at the sound of a door opening and closing and he spied Ellana exiting the tavern. She began walking in his direction, but stopped abruptly when she noticed him. Immediately, she spun around and began hastily walking the other way. 

Her behavior was bordering on ridiculous and he was sick of it. 

_Enough is enough_ . 

She was headed in the direction of her cabin and he gave her a few minutes head start before following lest he spook her into remaining in public. 

\---- 

Ellana sat on her bed, trying to distract herself from her thoughts by thumbing through a book. It wasn't working. 

After a few moments someone began knocking softly on her door. She was about to tell whoever it was to go away, but they didn't wait for her to answer and just walked in. _Of course it would be Solas,_ she thought, snapping the book shut and placing it in her nightstand drawer. 

She could make out his shape standing in the doorway, but she still couldn't bring herself to look directly at him. Instead she focused on a spot of wall behind where he stood. 

"If there's something you need, I am sure Cassandra or Josephine would be more than happy to accommodate you," she said, feigning exhaustion. "I am not feeling well. You will have to forgive me for not wanting company just now." 

He ignored her dismissal and took a few steps toward her, causing her to back up automatically. "Please leave," she said, her voice sounding desperate even in her own ears. 

Solas halted his advancement and she heard him sigh in frustration. "Ellana, _look at me_ ," he commanded softly and she reluctantly obeyed. 

His gaze was unwavering and she gasped when she finally looked into his eyes. They were filled with so much _Solas_. There he was, standing in front of her... _alive_. With every second that ticked by, more and more pent up emotions bubbled their way to the surface and she felt powerless. 

_Is this real? How do I know that this isn't a dream I made up to cope with his death? With everyone's death? What if I'd failed and this is some lyrium inspired hallucination? Is he real?_

Suddenly something inside of her snapped. 

Frantically, her hands shoved against his chest and she let out a strangled sob when she found his heart beat. Relief washed over her and she threw her arms around his waist, pressing her body against his in a desperate hug. 

His arms remained at his sides and he was silent, but Ellana couldn't care less. 

She pushed her ear to his chest and listened to the reassuring rhythm of life flowing through him. "I watched you die," she said. "You-Your eyes were staring at me, but you weren't there." 

She felt him tense and braced herself to be pushed away, but instead his arms wrapped around her, returning her embrace. She squeezed him tighter and smiled when she felt his heart rate increase. 

They stayed like that for a moment and Ellana felt the pieces of her mind click back into place. The surreal feeling lifted and she became aware of his arms around her and how well she seemed to fit against him. 

Reality sunk in and all of a sudden she was FURIOUS. _How dare he put her thorough this??_ _What the hell was he thinking, sacrificing himself like that? He should have known how his death would affect her and told the demon to throw his corpse AWAY from her...OK maybe that last one wasn't really plausible, but still...he should have done SOMETHING to prevent her from seeing his lifeless body flung about like a rag doll!_

"You are such an ASS!" she exclaimed, shoving him away. He stumbled backwards, bumping into her nightstand and tumbled to the floor. 

She glared down at him and her anger was instantly forgotten when she saw the bemused look on his face. His expression was shifting rapidly between shock, hurt, confusion and anger. It was perfect. Still, she couldn't very well apologize now, so she spun on her heel and left him sitting on the floor, confused. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really, really appreciate all the feedback I have received so far. Please keep it coming so I don't lose motivation. 
> 
> I know this chapter wasn't as fun as some of the other ones, but I felt like some of her more serious emotions needed to be explored. Let me know if you think it fits. 
> 
> I am not really happy with the way the conversation about Dorian went. I had something much better written out a long time ago (for a scrapped idea)... but I lost it. Recreating the conversation did not flow as well as I had hoped :(


	7. Ch 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solas finds a familiar book among Ellana's possessions which causes him to question one of their previous encounters...he also becomes acutely aware of how complicated his feelings for her have become.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well here you go - The "aha moment" where Solas finally realizes he might just be a little infatuated with a certain Herald of Andraste
> 
> As always, please let me know if you see any typos or if something just sounds awkward.

\---------------- 

Solas was beyond confused. One minute the Herald was hugging him tightly and the next she was calling him names and storming off. Then again, he had come to expect strange behavior from the girl. What he hadn't expected though, was the sensation of his heart twisting painfully with every step she took from him. _This can't be happening. Not now. Not with her._ ****

His traitorous mind wouldn't stop reenacting the way she had pressed herself to him, clinging like she couldn't get enough...her actions had awoken feelings that he wanted desperately to forget, or at least to bury deep down where they could do no harm. How long had it been since anyone had physically touched him like that? _Too long obviously._

Solas wrapped his arms around his waist, hugging himself, but it was a poor substitute for the real thing. He was a fool to believe he could remain detached from the people here, from _her_. When he awoke from his long slumber, all he wanted was for the world to feel real again, and she was slowly making him remember exactly what that meant. 

He tried to focus on his purpose, but all he could think of was how warm she had been, tucked safely in his arms, taking comfort from him as her breathing became steady once again. 

His own breath was coming in hitches, chocking him. He slumped down on Ellana's bed, hands rubbing his temples. He should have known better, should have recognized the signs. _Foolish._ He should still hate her... _wanted_ to still hate her. 

_When did things change?_ It hardly mattered. It was too late now and he knew the damage was only just beginning. He needed to feel her cling desperately to him again, clutching at his clothes, begging him for closeness. Anything to stop this wrenching pain in his chest. 

Solas let out a long breath, looking at the floor. Absently, he noticed Ellana's nightstand drawer seemed to have opened when he fell against it. He moved closer, intending to close it, but the sight of several books piqued his curiosity. 

Unable to resist, he pulled them out. _The Beginners Guide to Orlesian Etiquette_ , _The History of Modern Ferelden (Volume 2), The Nug King's Rise to Glory: Uncensored (_ with illustrations)...At first glance there appeared to be nothing of particular interest, but then he spied the bindings of a familiar book...The very same book she had ruined and returned to him a few weeks ago. This copy, though was in excellent condition. 

_I was unaware that your personal effects were being damaged._

Those were the words she had spoken to him when Sera mixed his paints together...yet she herself held no qualms over damaging his book only a short while earlier. Had she felt guilty and procured a new copy for him? 

He flipped the cover open and a piece of paper fell to the floor. Picking it up, he noticed the familiar script of his own hand. __

_Herald,_

_Please do me the courtesy of reading this text regarding the Fade. It became clear to me during our last conversation that your knowledge on the subject is severely limited and it is my hope that you will be open to challenging what you have previously been taught. I believe this book offers some insights on the subject and I will be more than happy to offer clarification on any points you may find confusing._

_Solas_

The words " _Arrogant Jackass"_ were written in childish handwriting underneath his name along with a doodle of a face? No, it was an egg...with a face drawn inside...that was being cracked open and..screaming in agony? It was hard to tell for sure. _No wonder she and Sera get along so well,_ he thought, smiling, but immediately wiped it from his face. Under no circumstances was he going to find such silliness endearing, not even for her. 

Upon inspecting the back cover, he noticed the small blue ink stain splattered across the author's biography from when he had accidentally dropped his quill on it. Solas frowned, realizing that this was actually _his_ copy of the book... _so then what is that mangled atrocity currently sitting on my bookshelf?_

Carefully, Solas placed the other books back in her nightstand and closed the drawer. 

Clearly she had lied to him. But why? His emotional turmoil was pushed aside as his mind worked, trying to find a rational explanation regarding this new discovery, but he could think of none. 

He sat in a small chair near the fire, laced his fingers together and patiently waited, grateful for the distraction from his previous train of thought. It was getting late and she was bound to come back soon. 

_I have questions and so help me, Ellana, you will answer them._

\----------------------------------------- 

Solas didn't have to wait long. Outside, he heard the Herald approach and he sat up straighter, fingers still laced together. Inwardly, he cursed when he felt his heart rate increase from anticipation as the door slowly opened and she stepped inside. 

"Good evening, Herald," he stated quietly, causing her to jump. 

"Sol - Solas?" she asked, surprised. Bewilderment briefly crossed her features, but it was gone in a flash, replaced by a frustratingly neutral expression. "You startled me. I thought you would have left by now," she said civilly. "Why are you still here?" 

Her eyes darted to the book sitting in his lap and realization lit her eyes. She glanced to her nightstand and back to him. "Really?" she asked, annoyed. "You went through my things?" 

_Oh no. Don't even think about deflecting this, little Herald. Not this time._

"Hardly," he replied, intentionally sounding unbothered by her accusation. "The nightstand opened on its own and I couldn't help but notice one of my own possessions among your things." He rose from his seat, holding the book up. "I would like you to explain...last I checked this book was covered in your scribbles and sitting on my own bookshelf." __

He took a step closer and she averted her gaze, looking decidedly guilty. 

"Perhaps I bought you a new copy," she whispered softly, flashing him an apologetic look. Solas blinked in disbelief. She looked and sounded completely sincere. 

_Why can't I read her?_ His ability to sense when others were being dishonest had always been a point of pride...but here she was, flat out _lying_ to him and he couldn't tell. Had he not already _known_ that this particular copy belonged to him, he would have believed her. 

Shaking his head, he took another step closer. "The thought had crossed my mind as well, but I _know_ this is _my copy_. I recognize the ink smudge on the back cover," he challenged softly. 

Her eyes narrowed skeptically and suddenly her whole demeanor changed. She lifted her chin and casually stretched her arms above her head, appearing bored. "Always so _clever_ , aren't we Solas?" she drawled and raised her pointer finger to her bottom lip, considering him. "Then again, it did take you an inordinate amount of time to realize...not to mention _your_ copy had to practically fall into your lap first...so I suppose you're not _really_ that clever after all." 

She tilted her head slightly, looking quite pleased with herself. "Please tell me that you _at least_ figured out the book I returned to you is a different copy altogether and that _I_ wasn't the one to write all over it...or have I given you too much credit?" she asked, smiling playfully. 

His eyes darted to her lips and it took more effort than he wanted to admit to pull his focus away and answer her question. "Of course, that much became obvious in light of the evidence," he scoffed, forcing his breathing to remain even. 

Ellana met his eyes and his breath caught. She was so beautiful, staring intently, violet eyes teasing, daring to challenge him. He wanted to pull her to him...to feel her tiny arms wrapped tightly around his torso, finishing the hug that, in his opinion, had been cut short. Instead, he pushed the compulsion down, waiting for her to continue. 

She smiled wryly and stepped closer to him. "You didn't find it at all suspicious that, _I_ , a Dalish elf, _somehow_ knew all that Chantry nonsense scribbled inside the other copy?" 

She was baiting him now, taunting him with that delicate, knowing little smile. He _should_ be irritated, furious really...but it had been so long since anyone bothered to engaged him in this type of friendly banter. He hadn't even realized how much he missed it until now. _This is friendly, right?_ He could never be sure when it came to her. 

She was so close to him now, two more steps and she would be within arm's reach. It would be so easy to just close the distance and... _and what? Act upon irrational and unrequited desires? No, this must end. Right. Now._

Solas set the book down and folded his arms behind his back, adopting a posture he often used when reminding himself to stay in control. "How _did_ you come across the other copy and _why_ did you lie to me about it? I don't understand what you could possibly could have gained by telling me that you, what was it again? Oh yes, that you _corrected_ my book." he asked steadily, glad that his voice did not betray him. 

Ellana's eyes narrowed playfully as she took another step forward. "You seem to be mistaken," she began, "Never once did I say that _I_ was the one who made those _alterations_. I also _never_ said that it was _your_ copy. You made those assumptions on your own...I simply chose not to correct you." 

Solas felt floored. He took a moment to think back to their previous encounter. She really _hadn't_ admitted to anything, only implied her guilt...and he had taken it from there and made an ass of himself. 

Some stray hair to fall into her face as she habitually tilted her head to the side. Solas felt his hand involuntarily twitch and he clenched his arms tighter to prevent himself from reaching to brush it aside. 

"A fair point," he conceded, still surprised by his lack of anger. "ButI would still have a full explanation from you," he said with just enough force to make it a clear demand. His tone only seemed to further amuse her...really, he _should_ be irritated. 

"I found the other copy in the Chantry's undercroft shortly after you lent me yours," she said, shrugging. "Since you were so adamant that I _challenge my beliefs_ , I thought it only fair that I be allowed to offer you the same opportunity...Only, I didn't _actually_ think you would mistake it for your own copy," She said, smirking cheekily. "I mean _really_ , Solas - they aren't even the same editions! How did you _not_ notice the different shade of blue on the spine? Perhaps I really _do_ give you too much credit!" 

Solas felt blood rushing to his face. He guessed that his ears must be turning pink by the way she kept glancing at them and smiling. It was infuriatingly adorable. Wait - since when did he even _think_ words like _adorable_? This was not good. Not. At. All. 

The situation was declining, fast. Still, she had yet to answer the one question he wanted to know the most. He suspected that she was purposely evading the topic...sidestepping around it, hoping he would forget to press the issue. Such a tactic would probably work on anyone else, but unfortunately for her, he was _quite_ familiar with what she was doing and was not about to let her distract him... _hopefully_. 

Clearing his throat, he continued. " You didn't even defend yourself from my accusations. Honestly, I thought you would have enjoyed the chance to guilt me into feeling like a villain...and I still don't understand why you felt the need to deceive me." 

She took the final step towards him and was standing close, _too_ close. "Guilt you into feeling like a _villain_?" she asked, eyes dancing coyly. Slowly, she trailed her finger down his chest and Solas fought to contain the hitch in his breath. "I believe you're being somewhat over-dramatic." 

His eyes became transfixed on her delicate finger which was now drawing tiny circles over the fabric of his sweater. She was smiling slyly, daring him to..to...do _something_? No, she was sidestepping again, but he couldn't focus, not while she was doing _that_. 

If he just leaned closer, he would be able to feel the heat of her body. Oh, how he _needed to_ \- _NO. Not like this, not now._ Breaking his stance, Solas gently clasped Ellana's wrist in his hand, pulling it away from his chest. "Answer the question da'len," he whispered, unable to stop himself from leaning in just a _little_ closer. 

Her eyes darkened and he could almost feel her pulse increase. This was not good. _Just step back. Step back, **now**_...He didn't budge. 

"Ir abelas," she began, "I have become distracted. What questions would you have of me?" she asked, looking up at him, biting her lower lip gently. 

Solas swallowed, eyes fixated on her mouth once again. _Does she even know what she's doing?...of course she does._ Her every movement...every word... it's all completely intentional, meant to throw him off kilter, and it was working. 

She was only making herself _appear_ attainable to distract him. _That must be it_...yet he would be lying if said her proximity wasn't affecting him. _Does she behave this way with everyone? No, that is not important right now. Focus._ "Why. Did. You. Lie. To. Me?" he finally asked. 

She remained quiet for a moment, her eyes trained upon his own. Solas could practically hear the cogs in her head turning, considering her answer. "Because you-" she stopped abruptly, eyes falling on a sheet of paper laying on the floor. Her brows knit in confusion and she pulled away from him to pick it up. 

She flipped it over and Solas realized his note must have fallen out of the book again. 

She looked genuinely annoyed, but then again, she _always_ looked genuine. "You - Why did you remove my bookmark?" she asked shortly. 

"I'm sorry, what?" 

She held up the paper. " _This_. I was using _this_ as a bookmark. I haven't been able to read it for quite some time and I have NO IDEA where I left off," she said, looking agitated. 

_Where you left off? Wait, that means -_ "You are still reading it?" he asked arching his eye brow. "I thought you detested such...I believe the word you used was _tripe_." 

Ellana looked down, refusing to meet his eyes. "Well, _maybe_ I find it to be _somewhat_ interesting..." she admitted petulantly, pink rising to her cheeks. Suddenly she looked innocent and bashful. 

She was studying a place on floor near his feet. The vulnerability of her posture was reminiscent of how she had looked earlier that evening. "Honestly, Solas...I didn't want you to find out until after I was done reading it, but...I-I have a list of questions that I was hoping you would look over...but I want to finish the book first," she said, finally lifting her wide eyes to meet his. "I was having particular trouble understanding some of the mathematical equations relating to the veil's strength. W-will you help me, _hahren_?" she asked nervously and Solas felt his heart hit the floor. This girl really _was_ going to be the death of him. 

"Of course," he replied automatically, still hung up on the way she had said _hahren_. 

"Solas?" she asked quietly. "I-I'm sorry, but I really _am_ tired. Perhaps we could continue this another time?" 

"Of course," he repeated and moved to exit the door, letting it click softly behind him. 

On the other side of the wall Ellana was silently fuming at having to not only read the wretched book, but also compile a list of dimwitted questions. 

_It's a good thing I skimmed though some of it already...seriously though, that was a close one... I can't believe he fell for shy Ellana. That stupid elf is going to be the death of me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to have Solas get smacked in the head with his feelings because I think that once he realizes how he feels that he wouldn't be able to get it out of his head. I also think he knows himself too well to keep denying it. 
> 
> So, how long do you think it has been since that elf actually had a hug? I mean like a really good one? 
> 
> Anyway, please comment and let me know what you think.


	8. ch 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ellana is caught off guard when someone from her clan comes to visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \------------
> 
> Let me know what you think of the OC I introduced in this chapter. Should I keep him or send him home? Sorry for the long delay in the update. It's been drafted for a while now, but I haven't had time to look over it again.
> 
> \------------

\------- 

The mages had settled in and they were _finally_ going to close the breach...in another week. Of course waiting meant that Ellana was bored....again. 

To make matters worse, Solas was acting strange, almost creepy. Wherever she went, he seemed to appear. The mage hadn't approached her, just kept his distance and _watched_. He wasn't even being sneaky about it which wasn't like him at all. 

_Turn the corner - Solas. Leave the war room - Solas. Craft some armor - Solas... How the hell does he ALWAYS know where I am?_

This time she was on her way to the training grounds when she felt his eyes on her. Glancing around, she spotted Solas a little ways off, leaning against a tree. _And staring at me. Again._

Ellana had been on her way to corner Cullen and make him blush in front of his men. She smirked inwardly. The game would be even more fun with Solas watching _._ If he insisted on stalking her than she should at least give him a show, right? 

She spun around, intent on finding the commander, but halted as someone called her name. 

"Ellana!" yelled a cheerful voice and she spotted Dorian hurrying her way. Solas's head snapped up, hardened eyes following the Tevinter mage. 

"You'll _never_ guess what I've just heard!" Dorian said, looking at her expectantly. When she didn't respond he grabbed her shoulders and gave her a little shake. "Well go on, guess!" he urged. 

Ellana shook her head. "Um...Leliana gave you a pet nug and he's just won best in show?" 

"A pet what? No, Never-mind. You'll _never_ guess so I'll just tell you!" He grabbed her hands and squeezed. "Another Lavellan is coming!" Ellana froze, eyes wide. "Aren't you listening? I said someone from your clan is coming and they'll be here any minute! Remember when Leliana sent messengers to your people? Well, rumor has it that a young man _demanded_ to return with them. He wants to see to your safety _himself_ and even threatened one of her scouts with a knife when they tried to refuse." 

"Are you certain?" she asked, wondering how Keeper Deshanna could have allowed _him_ to leave with a bunch of strangers. 

"I heard it directly from Leliana. She was going to surprise you, but decided not to at the last minute. I overheard her talking with Josephine and she asked me to let you know." He paused briefly. "But more importantly, how could you hide this from me? You never said anything about having a man! And I thought we were _friends_!" He eyed her up and down. "Honestly, I'm a tad miffed that you led me on." 

"I'm...sorry?" she replied blankly, still trying to process the news. 

"Oh, don't look at me like that, I'm not _actually_ angry," He leaned closer. "Though I bet a certain bald mage will be less than thrilled with the situation," he whispered, eyes glinting with mischief. 

She snorted. "If they're bringing who I think they are, then I doubt that will be an issue." 

"Well that's disappointing." 

Ellana thought for a moment. "Then again, Solas _does_ hate the Dalish." She glanced at the other elf who was pointedly not paying attention. "And Falon is very... _spirited_ , even for a Dalish." 

A horn sounded in the distance. The new arrivals must have just passed the scouting tower as they entered Haven. Dorian's face lit up. "Go on then. It would be rude to keep him waiting." 

She glanced in the direction of the horn, mind still whirling. Dorian gave her a small nudge and then she was off, sprinting towards the gate and grinning like an idiot. Only one person would have come for her. Only one very stupid, very reckless, hotheaded, blade-wielding, pain-in-the-ass little elf. _Falon. Her Falon._

The giant doors leading out of Haven were the only things left standing in her way. She reached to push them open, but a young recruit stopped her. "Best to let the Commander check everyone out first," he ordered, earning him a scowl. The boy instantly withered and Ellana mentally kicked herself. She kept forgetting how sensitive these humans were to how _The Herald of Andraste_ treated them. 

"Forgive me," she said, forcing a smile to her lips. "I am expecting a friend and It seems I've become overexcited." 

The recruit gave her a relieved smile and moved back to his post along the wall. She would just have to wait. _Typical._

\---------------------------- 

Solas frowned as Ellana ran past him toward the gates. _Another of Clan Lavellan?...threatened the scouts with a knife? For Ellana?_ His chest tightened and he forced himself to breathe deeply. She hadn't mentioned leaving anyone behind...but then again, why would she? 

_It shouldn't matter anyway._

He hadn't realized he was still staring at her until the sound of footsteps coming from behind startled him back to reality. 

"Hello there, Solas!" Dorian exclaimed, clapping the elf on the back with a smile. "Are you as excited as I am to meet this newcomer?" he asked. "Oh, what am I thinking? Of _course_ you're excited! He's an elf, you're an elf... You'll be the best of friends in no time!" 

The Tevinter's dark eyes darted to the gate where Ellana waited. She was impatiently wringing her hands together and scowling at the doors. "Let's go give her some moral support, shall we?" he said, pushing the bald elf in Ellana direction. 

Later, Solas would be angry at allowing the man order him about, but right now he was far to curious to care. He needed to see who this new elf was to his herald. ' _No, she's not MY herald'_ he reminded himself. Though when he thought about it, she was far more _his herald_ than he wanted to admit. The whole idea left him feeling disgusted. 

The two men stood on either side of Ellana, eyes fixed upon the strong wooden doors. Hurried movements and shuffling could be heard from the other side. 

Ellana kept shifting her weight from one foot to the other and running her fingers through her long bangs. He subconsciously moved closer and inhaled softly, reveling in the clean scent of her hair. She used some sort of herbal mixture that always left her smelling of springtime in the forest. It was one of the first things he'd noticed about her apart from the horrible vallaslin. Even back then, he'd found it pleasant, but now it was intoxicating. 

Dorian shot him a knowing look from over Ellana's head and Solas scowled. He must really be losing his touch if the other mage was able to read him so easily. 

"Commander, I assume you have been informed of the situation?" a scout asked from behind the doors. 

"Yes...though I wasn't expecting someone so... _um_... never-mind." There was a pause as someone dismounted a horse. "Hello there," Cullen greeted. "You are Falon, right? From the Herald's clan?" 

"WHERE IS SHE?" a voice shouted, followed by the zing of many swords unsheathing. Ellana however, seemed completely unconcerned and... isshe _smiling?_ Solas had a bad feeling about this new Dalish. 

"STAND DOWN!" Cullen barked at his men. "Under no circumstances are you to harm the elf! You there! Young man! You cannot flail your daggers about like a madman and expect to be let into the Inquisition's stronghold! Hand me your weapons and _then_ we can discuss taking you to see the herald." There was a brief pause followed by the sound of a shield blocking an attack. "What are you- HEY! PUT THE DAGGERS DOWN _NOW_!" Cullen yelled. 

Ellana snorted, causing Dorian to raise his eyebrows. "Should we-um, _help_ him?" the dark eyed mage asked, but Ellana shook her head, smiling. 

"Not yet, I want to see where this goes." 

Solas couldn't fathom what she was thinking. They needed to intervene now if she hoped to save the elf's life. "Is that wise, Herald? Even under your protection, the humans are not likely to tolerate open hostility from an elf." 

She grinned, eyes never leaving the doors. "You worry too much. Underneath all that armor, Cullen's a big softy." 

Solas barely suppressed a snarl as unbidden images flashed through his mind. Terrible images of Ellana shyly looking up at the commander, her tiny fingers fumbling to remove his breastplate. Of Cullen cupping her cheek, smiling gently as he leans in closer and closer until- 

He snapped his head up, banishing the images and silently cursing himself for being so weak. He should be more worried about the elf on the other side of the walls. He mentally cursed himself again. He shouldn't be worried about her being with anyone at all. 

Solas was pulled from his thoughts when two heavy _thuds_ shook the door. The elf must have missed his target and stabbed the door by mistake. By the sound of it, his blades were stuck in the wood. ' _Typical Dalish. Stubborn and unwilling to listen to reason. If he'd just remained calm, he would already be inside.'_

A loud string of Elvhen curse words floated over the gate followed by many small pinging noises...as if something hard and small was repeatedly hitting metal. 

"OK, _now_ we can help him," Ellana laughed and kicked the doors open. Her playful eyes were brighter than Solas had ever seen. He hated this newcomer already. 

Solas moved to follow Ellana, but halted abruptly when he caught sight of the new Lavellan. Solas let out a breath, relief washing over him like cool water. 

A small, dark-haired Dalish boy was hurling stones at the commander while chasing him in circles around as wagon. Cullen covered his face with his shield ran backwards, trying to get away from the lad. The man knocked over a weapons rack, tripped on a bow and then got tangled in the string while trying to get up and fell over again. It would be comical if not so pathetic. The man was being cornered by a _child_ for void's sake. He is the _commander_ of the Inquisition and this is how he deals with a difficult 12 year old? ' _Utterly pathetic.'_

A recruit tried to grab the boy from behind, but the elf ducked, grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it in the man's eyes. 

"I said to stand down!" Cullen snapped at the recruit as he knelt behind the wagon, trying to guard against another barrage of stones. He peeked around the corner and was smacked in the forehead with a large pebble. The blond clutched his face, hissing in pain. 

The child untied a slingshot from his belt and aimed with a steady hand. Cullen really should let his men tackle the boy before he was hit in the face with another stone. 

" _Falon_ ," Ellana said and the boy froze, slingshot loaded and still in position to let a rock fly. The weapon fell to the ground, forgotten as his head whipped towards them, large brown eyes falling on the herald. 

He stared at her, unblinking. It was as if he was afraid she would disappear if he looked away for even a second. After a moment he flung himself at the woman, clinging tightly to her waist. She embraced him, but when she tried to pulled away he grabbed her arm, yanking her down to kneel at his level. His small hand moved under her chin, tilting her face back and forth, examining her. 

"Did they hurt you?" he asked, searching for signs of harm. 

She shook her head but allowed him to continue studying her face. Suddenly, green sparks shot out of her palm and boy jumped back. "What is THAT?" 

"Oh this?" Ellana said, holding out her glowing hand to give him a better look. "It's nothing to worry about, I promise." 

"Is it... _painful_?" he asked, inching closer. 

"Not at all," she replied. She was lying of course, but at least Falon seemed to believe her. "Apparently _Andraste_ herself bestowed it upon me as an act of her divine will," she added sarcastically. 

The boy's face crinkled in distaste. " _Andraste_? That sounds boring. You should say Andruil gave it to you instead. She's way scarier." 

Ellana tilted her head in mock contemplation. "Hmm... If I _were_ to claim the blessing of an elven god, shouldn't it be Mythal?" 

He took a step back and gave the woman an appraising look. "Pft, you only chose that vallaslin because you like to pretend they're whiskers." 

Ellana's eyes widened in horror. "Falon!" she hissed. "You're not supposed to _tell_ people that!" 

Falon crossed his arms defensively and muttered something about not knowing it was a secret. She was blushing profusely, the look suited her. _Perhaps having another Dalish in Haven won't be so terrible after all,_ Solas thought. 

"Right," she said, regaining her composure. "Let's get you into Haven." 

Dorian stood in front her, blocking the doors. "Oh no you don't! You do NOT get to change the subject that easily!" he exclaimed, grinning. "So that whole story you fed me about Mythal being some _great protector_ was just a lie to cover up some a strange fascination with _whiskers_? What? Like a kitten?" He placed a gentile finger under her chin and tilted her face up to give him a better look. "Well, I didn't think it was possible," he said, "but you have just become even _more_ adorable! It really _does_ look like you have whiskers." 

Falon's focus snapped to Dorian's expensive robes and his eyes became feral. He slapped Dorian's hand away from her and inserted himself between the two mages. 

"Don't _touch_ her!" he snarled. " _Your_ kind think they can do whatever they want with our women. But you can't have her! Not Ellana, not EVER!" The boy reached to his belt but found his holsters empty. His knives were still stuck in the door behind them. 

He tried to pull her away from the older man, but Ellana twisted his grip causing him to yelp. "Excuse us for a moment," she said and dragged him out of sight. A few moments later she returned with Falon trailing behind, looking thoroughly chastised. 

The woman nudged him towards Dorian. The boy remained silent and looked at the ground. She cleared her throat and Falon kicked the dirt before finally looking at the man. "I _apologize_ for my outburst. It was uncalled for," he said, sounding anything but sorry. "But so help me, if you-" 

"Falon!" Ellana snapped and he quieted immediately."Good. Now don't you have someone else you need to talk to?" 

He kicked the dirt again and turned to the commander. "I'm sorry that I tried to stab you," he said, staring at a spot on the ground. "Twice," he added, glancing at Ellana who just raised an eyebrow. " _And_ for throwing stones at you in front of your..." he stopped and wrinkled his nose. " _Soldiers_ ," he finished, staring at the recruit who'd failed to grab him earlier. 

Solas was surprised when Falon turned to him next. The child hadn't attacked _him_ , at least not yet anyway. 

He stood up straight and met Solas's eyes. "Ir abeles," he said haltingly, as if unused to speaking Elvhen. "Forgive me for not properly introducing myself. My name is Falon of clan Lavellan. Ellana told me you saved her life and I thank you on behalf of our clan. Ma serannas, hahren. You have my- _our_ deepest gratitude." 

"Think nothing of it, da'len," Solas replied, pleased with the boys faltering attempts at their language. The small elf looked uncomfortable and Solas felt an unexpected urge to pat him on the head. He resisted of course, as he doubted the boy would appreciate such a gesture. 

He took this time to study Falon. He was small now, but had the makings of a strong build. In time he would be taller and have broader shoulders than most elves of this age... providing he lived that long anyway. Solas frowned. Without a guiding hand, the child's temper would surely get him killed. 

Solas was pulled from his thoughts by Josephine and Leliana hurrying towards them. 

"Your Worship, a moment if you please," Josephine said, sweeping her gaze over everyone present. "Mistress Lavellan, Leliana has informed me that your clan has sent a representative. Have they arrived yet?" she asked, looking right over the boys head as she continued scanning the arrival party. 

Leliana giggled, "Oh, I think he's here all right." 

Josephine glanced at her companion. "Well where is he? I do not see anyone with Dalish markings." 

Ellana pushed Falon forward. 

Josephineshot Leliana a withering look but the other woman only smirked. 

"I...see," she stuttered before regaining her composure and addressing the boy. "Allow me to welcome you to the Inquisition, Master Lavellan. I am Lady Josephine Montilyet and I will be seeing to your accommodations during your visit. Please do not hesitate to ask if there is anything you require. But for now, please allow me to show you to your quarters where a fresh bath has been prepared. 

Falon visibly paled. "A bath?" He asked, ducking behind Ellana. 

"Of course a bath," she replied. "It will give us a chance to have your clothes cleaned and pressed. You are representing clan Lavellan, after all. Now please come with me," she said, offering her arm. 

The child pleadingly glanced at Ellana, but she shrugged and motioned for him to go with the other woman. 

"But I just found you. I told Deshanna that I would protect you. I-I know what humans do to pretty elves," he said, glaring at Dorian. "They really haven't hurt you?" he asked. 

Ellana shook her head. "No one has tried to hurt me, I promise," she assured him. Reluctantly, he allowed himself to be escorted away by Josephine and Leliana. 

"Spunky little fellow, isn't he?" Dorian said. "I find his protectiveness of you to be especially charming, though I wish his suspicions were aimed at someone else." 

Solas briefly wondered where that child was from. He had neither the look nor the accent of the Marcher elves. "That child, was he born of your clan? He sounds Ferelden." 

Ellana's smile faltered. "No, he joined us three years ago after losing his parents." 

"Losing his parents?" Dorian asked. 

"Yes. He was born in theAmaranthinealienage. His mother-" Ellana paused looking away. "She... she caught the eye of a noble and his father was...combative." 

Silence stretched between them until finally Solas asked, "How did he come to live among your clan? I thought the Dalish seldom took in outsiders." 

She sighed. "I found him in the woods slashing at trees. He wanted revenge and thought that charging the noble with a dull kitchen knife was a fabulous way to go about it." She paused, considering her next words. "I... _may_ have knocked him out and dragged him back to the clan. He has been with us ever since." 

"And the nobleman? Falon just let him go?" Dorian asked, looking doubtful. 

Ellana's eyes turned dark. "He never got the chance to try anything. We left Amaranthineimmediately, hoping his desire for revenge would wane over time...It did not, but when we finally travelled back to the area... well, the nobleman was already dead." 

"That must have been disappointing for the chap," Dorian said. 

Ellana's posture stiffened. "It was for the best." 

"Well, I hope it was a painful death at least," Cullen chimed in. "Anyone who forces themselves on another is a monster." 

"Yes, his death was painful,"she replied quietly and Solas got the distinct feeling that she wasn't telling them everything. 

"How _did_ he die?" Dorain asked. 

Ellana hesitated, shoulders tensing. "I- I heard he went mad...that he was plagued with terrible nightmares. When it became too much to bear, he took his own life." 

Solas's eyes widened _. She couldn't have? Could she?_ He tried to catch her eye, but she avoided his gaze. 

"Sounds like he got what he deserved if you ask me," Dorian said, frowning. 

"I agree," Ellana replied, hard eyes finally falling on Solas. 

"It sounds like lyrium withdrawal," Cullen said as he pulled the boys knives from the wooden doors. "I wouldn't wish such a fate on anybody. Having nightmares slowly needling at your sanity, making you less than you should be..." 

Ellana tensed again. "So you would have him go unpunished? Free to rape and kill more innocent women?" 

The Commander's face turned red as he realized what his words implied. "I-um... That's not what I meant. I just- well the thought of being driven mad by nightmares is... _terrifying_ ," he finished and quickly excused himself. 

Ellana stared after him, looking worried. Solas frowned. Despite having left the order, Cullen was a templar through and through. The man should be avoided, not _worried_ after. It was naive to think he could care about a mage. 

Dorian cleared his throat."So your clan, what, adopted Falon? Why not send him to live with a relative or something?" he asked **.**

"I am curious about that as well," Solas added, returning to the conversation at hand. "Falon is not a mage and I doubt he possessed many skills the Dalish could make use of. Why keep him? In my experiences _all_ outsiders are of little importance to the Dalish, even elves." Solas realized too late that he failed to keep the derision from his voice. Ellana looked livid. 

"Not all Dalish clans are the same!" she snapped. "Lumping us all together is like saying people from Denerim and Val Royeaux are exactly the same just because everyone worships Andraste! Look, I'm sorry for whatever bad experiences you may have had with the Dalish, but MY clan has never wronged you. So stop trying to make me feel like I'm _less_ just because I happen to share customs with whatever clan had the misfortune of dealing with you!" She paused, breathing deeply. "And my keeper allowed him to stay because _I_ asked her to. He was a child with nowhere to go and no family to care for him. Any decent person would have done the same, _Dalish_ or not." 

Instinctively, he clasped his hands behind his back. "Forgive me, it was not my intention to belittle you. I was merely curious." 

"I'll believe that when you're able to say the word _Dalish_ without sneering," she said, moving past him. "I better go convince Cullen to give Falon his knives back before he _actually_ tries to kill the man." 

Her reaction was expected and Solas was unconcerned. Still, he waited until she turned a corner before moving in that direction as well, but Dorian grabbed his arm. 

"Is there a reason you have been shadowing her?" the Tevinter mage asked, eyes sparkling. "Being stalked isn't exactly a turn on for most women. Has this tactic _actually_ worked for you in the past? _Ever_?" 

Solas yanked his arm away from the other mage. "I am running low on Elfroot. As you know, there is an abundance growing in the woods just beyond the training encampment. It would be wise to gather more before the herald tries to close the breach." It wasn't necessarily a lie. He really did need more Elfroot, it just wasn't something he'd planned on gathering right this moment. 

Dorian frowned. "Oh? So it's just a _coincidence_ that Ellana went there as well? Your lurking has been drawing the attention of more than just me. People have begun _talking_." 

Solas was not willing to have this discussion with anyone, least of all Dorian. "The rumors about me must pale in comparison to what they say about _you_ ," he replied, hoping to turn the conversation in a different direction. 

Dorian's eyes lit up. "Oh? People are talking about me? Well I can hardly blame them. What are they saying? No-don't tell me," he said holding up his hand. "Is it how the devilishly handsome foreigner has stolen the heart of the Lady herald? That must be it!" 

"Hardly," Solas stated, smiling darkly. "The masses believe you have used blood magic to bewitched her and conceive a child. They say you intend to carve the unborn baby from her womb as a sacrifice to the old Tevinter gods." 

A look of horror crossed the other man's face. "I don't even- _How_ did they- Where do they come up with this stuff?" he sputtered **,** shaking his head. "Everything about that whole scenario that is absolutely _disgusting_!" 

Enjoying the other mages discomfort, Solas continued. "Oh? I thought you would rather enjoy the act of impregnating her." 

Doran looked like he was about to be sick. "You think I would _enjoy_ forcing someone's affections through blood magic?" he snapped. "I only take _willing_ partners, thank you very much... Says a lot about you though," he sneered and walked away, still shaking his head. 

With the magister-in-training out of the way, Solas finally moved to find Ellana. He felt for the anchor as he drew near the training grounds, but neither she, nor the commander were anywhere in sight. Solas felt a cold chill run down his spine when he realized they must be in Cullen's tent. 

He moved closer to the tent in question and his suspicions were confirmed. Two silhouettes darkened the tent's canvas... and they were standing _very_ close together. The chill in his spine turned to ice as the smaller shadow moved into the larger one, merging with it momentarily. He shifted even closer, but the tent muffled their voices, preventing him from eaves dropping. 

Disappointed, he moved away to a small covering of trees where he would not be noticed by passers-by. Still, he kept his eyes trained on the shadow's movements. The petite shadow reached out to the other, appearing to gently cup his face. 

Solas pretended it didn't matter. Really, it was none of his concern who she became friendly with. _Even if he is an ex-templar._

Over the last few days the ancient elf had been silently committing the girl to memory. Her eyes, her voice, her expressions...he needed to remember them all... for academic reasons of course. She was a mortal who walked the fade and bore his mark. It had absolutely nothing to do with his infatuation with her. Nothing. at. all. 

Soon she would seal the breach and Corypheus would make himself known. His bloodlust should present Solas with an opportunity to get the orb back and then he could sneak away during the chaos. That would be the end of. That _should_ be the end of it. 

Yet why then did his heart twist at the thought of leaving? It didn't matter, this was for the best. He would not allow this attachment to interfere with his purpose. These wretched feelings were one sided anyway. Which also didn't matter. 

He scowled as the shadows in the tent appeared to embrace. Did she really have to flirt with _everyone_? 

It wasn't the first time he'd noticed it. Oh no, over the last few days he had become acutely aware of her salacious behavior. 

Yesterday had been particularly trying. First she crafted armor with Blackwall, which wasn't a big deal until she leaned over him. The little witch had intentionally brushed her breasts against the man while reaching for more leather. To make matters worse, the oafish warden had the gall to look directly at Solas and smirk. 

Then she went to the tavern with Dorian and Sera. After only one drink she was practically sitting on Dorian's lap and whispering who knows what into Sera's ear. The other women immediately blushed red, which was quite the feat considering it was Sera. 

There was also the Iron Bull. Out of everyone in the Inquisition, that stupid qunari was the most likely to try and bed her, if such a thing were even possible. However if the serving maid's stories were true, then it was both possible and _enjoyable_. The thought sickened him. 

Yesterday she had cornered the brute to ask him all sorts of questions about his people. Solas couldn't blame her for being curious, but she didn't have to stand so damned close to him. _Or trace her finger along the lines of his tattoos,_ he thought, scowling. 

And now... _now_ she was alone in a tent with a man whom she had previously admitted to _fantasizing_ about. 

It didn't matter, he was leaving soon anyway. 

_Then why can't you just walk away and leave her alone with the commander?_ the logical part of him asked. He had no answer. 

The pair finally emerged, both looking flustered. Cullen nervously ran his fingers through his hair causing a blond curl to fall out of place. Ellana reached out, brushing it away, allowing the back of her hand to gently caress his face. The man's expression turned tender and Solas bit back a growl. 

The possessive part of him wanted to drag her away and show her exactly who she belonged to. _But_ _She doesn't belong to you,_ he reminded himself. _She is just a mortal child who's life will end before she even has the chance to burn her brightest._

He felt a pang of guilt with that thought. Her insufferable spirit was brighter than that of any mortal he had ever encountered. Yet even if she lived to a ripe old age, she would still blink out of existence in only a few short years. She didn't have enough time, none of The People did. 

His dark thoughts were broken as the mage and templar said their goodbyes. Ellana turned around, spotting him immediately. Solas clasped his hands behind his back defensively as the petite elf approached. 

"Hello, Solas," she greeted cheerfully. Either she had forgotten their argument or her elation at seeing Falon hadn't worn off yet. 

"Herald," he replied with a nod, keeping his face neutral. 

She leaned her shoulder against a nearby tree, facing him. "I can't help but think that you're following me. Is there something you need?" 

She still wore a faint blush from whatever had transpired with the commander. His hand twitched involuntarily and he tightened his grip. Perhaps Falon wasn't the only reason for her elevated mood. 

"I require nothing of you, Herald." 

Solas knew he should end the conversation, but the thought of her blushing for that fumbling templar was _irritating_. That he cared at all was even more irritating and Solas suddenly didn't feel like walking away. He _would_ be leaving soon after all so what did it matter if he goaded her a little? 

He unclasped his hands and leaned against a tree, matching her posture. 

"You looked quite cozy with the commander. Were alone together in his tent just now?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Such displays will only invite rumors. It would be wise to use more discretion regarding your romantic encounters," he cautioned. "What if _Falon_ saw you?" 

She snorted. "I would hardly call fifteen minutes alone with Cullen a _romantic encounter_. It's not nearly long enough," she laughed, refusing to take his bait. "Though I suppose it _could_ be managed if we went straight to business." She tilted her head, eyes dancing. "I've heard of certain sensitivity spells that can be used when you need to be quick...but I still think I would prefer to take my time." Ellana pushed herself from the tree and stretched. "But as I said, this was not such an encounter. I was only checking after his well-being and getting Falon's knives back." 

She pulled the knives from her belt as verification and smiled playfully at him. It was the same way she smiled at Varic when he told her stories. The warmth of it spoke of familiarity and kinship. It was not the sort of smile she, or anyone else here directed at him. It felt nice, if not a bit unnerving. 

"And where did you hear of this spell?" he asked, hoping to prolong the moment. 

Ellana shrugged. "Some circle mage in the tavern. I don't remember his name, but he did offer to _demonstrate_ it for me. I declined the offer, of course. But you should have seen his face when Josephine walked in and called me _Your Worship_! The man didn't have a clue that he was propositioning the fabled _Herald of Andraste_. It's good to know that not everyone recognizes me on sight." 

Solas smiled inwardly... he _had_ seen the man's face. Actually, Solas had been the one to send Josephine into the tavern after Ellana. He had been watching the whole exchange from a distance and when it became clear that the inebriated mage wasn't going to give up, Solas thought it best to have someone intervene. 

He also had a little chat with the mage later that evening involving thinly veiled threats and a weak frost spell targeted at a certain area of his anatomy. _She_ should have seen the man's face after _that_. 

Though the incident was harmless, he couldn't help but worry for her. The harshest lessons always seem to take the young and beautiful by surprise. "Perhaps you should be more careful with whom you lead on, especially while in the tavern," he said and she scowled. Of course she would't listen. "I am being serious da'len, there are men here who are lacking in decency. Even those with noble intentions have been known to lose control when teased, especially when alcohol is involved." 

Ellana crossed her arms. "Are you suggesting that I can't handle myself against some scrawny tower boy?" she asked, missing the point entirely. 

"No, I was merely asking you to be cautious," he said, shaking his head. How he had fallen so hard for such an irritating woman was beyond him. 

"You're implying that I don't know how to take care of myself. I'm not some naive child." 

She most certainly was naive... but a child? Well that was debatable. "Then I suggest you stop behaving like one. You parade around Haven, flirting with everyone who speaks to you. It is a miracle that you haven't already caused an incident." 

"Why do you even care?" she snapped. 

Solas raised his arms up in frustration. "If you have to ask than you are even more foolish than I thought," he said, feeling old and tired. "But you are correct. Your shamelessness is really none of my concern. Far be it for me to care if you bed those who are unworthy of you." Next time a drunken buffoon tried to have his way with her he wouldn't intervene. Maybe then she'd learn some modesty. 

A coy smile graced her lips and her eyes regained their playfulness. She moved closer, leaving only a few paces between them. 

"Shameless?" she purred, looking up at him. "Yes, I suppose that accurately describes me." This was definitely _not_ the reaction he had expected. "And who do you consider worthy of me, Solas? Certainly not Blackwall...Cullen perhaps? or maybe the iron bull?" 

She smiled wickedly and leaned closer, eyes still trained on his. Solas froze, unwilling to encourage her yet unable to bring himself to retreat. 

"No? Oh I see now," she whispered, eyes dancing. "Ir abelas, I didn't realize you were feeling left out. If you'd like, I can flirt with you too. Are you _worthy_ of me, hahren?" 

His hands acted of their own accord, pinning her arms to her sides. He should push her away, but his body refused to move and he merely held her in place. He should be angry, he _wanted_ to be angry. She was teasing him, treating him as if he were a lovesick fool. _But you are a lovesick fool,_ his inner voice taunted but he pushed it down, refusing to believe he had fallen so far. 

It took several moments but he finally found the strength to gently push her away and re-establish a respectable distance between them. 

"I am not nearly so foolish," he whispered, hating himself for how dejected he sounded. 

\--------------------- 

Ellana crossed her arms and looked away from Solas, feeling like a child. Her arms still tingled from where he had held them. The moment had been intense and she was finding it difficult to recover. She felt cold...and lonely. It was unpleasant and entirely _his fault._

He was _supposed_ to become angry, make a few scathing remarks to which she would rebuttal and one of them would wind up storming off in the end. That was the dynamic between them and that was how she liked it. She certainly hadn't expected _this_. 

H **e** stood, shoulders hunched and eyes downcast,staring absently at a place near her feet. She should just walk away and pretend this whole interaction had never happened. But leaving now, while he looked like _that_... well, it just felt wrong. 

She felt guilty and didn't know what to do. He really was the most frustrating elf she had ever met. 

Again, she considered just walking away and leaving him to brood, but couldn't bring herself to move. Instead she allowed an awkward silence to fall between them until she could stand it no longer and finally broke the ice. 

"Why are you always so serious?" she asked. "You act as though allowing yourself even a tiny bit of happiness will bring the world down around you. Would it really be so bad to lighten up a little?" 

His lips tightened and he didn't answer right away. 

When he finally looked at her, his pale eyes were unreadable. "We mustn't be distracted from our purpose," he breathed and let silence fall between them again. 

_Well that's a bullshit answer._ What purpose was he even referring to? With any luck, the breach would be sealed in a few days and their purpose fulfilled. Did he even plan to stick around once that stupid hole in the sky was mended? 

Ellana felt her heart stop. _Of course! I am such an idiot._ When they first met he flat out told her that he only intended to stay until the breach was closed. 

The thought of him leaving depressed her far more than it should, but it wasn't like she could force him to stay. Why would he even want to? She certainly had done nothing to make his life any easier. Still, even if she had played nice all along, she doubted he would remain in Haven. The man had some serious wanderlust. 

Both of their heads snapped up at the sound of snow crushing under hurried footsteps and Ellana's mood immediately brightened. Falon was running towards her. His eyes were bright and he was panting heavily by the time he reached them. 

"Look, Ellana!" he exclaimed, holding out two frilly little cakes and grinning widely. "Josephine said she's buttering up some rich guy who loves these things. A shipment just arrived from Orlais and she just _gave_ some to me! I thought they might be poisoned, but she ate one first so I think they're OK." 

He took a giant bite out of one and handed Ellana the other. "Here, this one is for you," he said with a mouth full of pastry. 

Ellana grinned at the boy. "I have something for you as well," she replied and held out his daggers. 

Falon snatched them from her grasp and stabbed the air a few times. He didn't holster them and she realized his belt was missing. In fact, now that she looked at him, it appeared he was wearing a new set of clothes entirely. His breeches looked Orlaisian and he was wearing an un-tucked gentlemen's undershirt **.**

Ellana was about to question him when she heard the frantic yelling of Josephine. All three of them looked up and Ellana burst out laughing at the sight of the Inquisition's diplomat stumbling through the snow, holding a fancy jacket and a pair boots above her head to keep them from dragging on the ground. 

"Young Master Lavellan!" she called and the boy ducked behind Ellana. "Young Master, you must finish getting dressed! You will catch your death of cold!" 

"I won't let her put me in that! I'll look like a human!" he said and sprinted off. 

After a moment, Josephine reached the pair of elves, nearly tripping over a fallen branch. "Well he certainly has a lot of energy," she said, panting. 

Ellana grinned at the other woman. "where did you even find clothes that would fit him?" she asked. 

"One must always be prepared, Mistress Lavellan," she said, still catching her breath. "Now, where did he run off to?" 

Solas pointed to a small shadow coming from between two tents. Ellana shook her head. Falon should know that his speed gave him an edge over the woman. Hiding so close by was foolish. _I bet his feet are cold and wants to get caught. He's just putting on a show now._

Josephine nodded her thanks and marched over to the hiding child. The woman grabbed him by his collar and dragged him out, pinning him against the tent pole and he dropped his daggers. She smiled triumphantly and shoved the jacket on him. During the ordeal, Ellana spotted at least three openings where he could have escaped. _Yup, he must be cold._

She was still smiling as she turned back to Solas. "I'd forgotten how much I've missed him," she said and held up the tiny cake to examine it. Intricate designs were pressed into pink icing along the border. It was topped with a fluffy layer of white frosting and two strawberries were pressed in the center forming the shape of a heart. It was so pretty, she almost didn't want to eat it. 

Solas was also eyeing the little cake with fascination. She scooped some frosting with her finger watched his eyes follow the movement. _Looks like_ s _omeone likes sweets._ Slowly, she brought her finger to her mouth and licked the frosting off the tip. 

Her eyes lit up and she shoved the rest of her finger into her mouth. It tasted AMAZING! How had she gone her whole life without experiencing this? How could she go back to living without it? 

"I'd renounce the creators and pledge myself to Andraste so long as they supply their Herald with more of _these_!" she blurted, eliciting a chuckle from her companion. "You have to try this!" she said, breaking the pastry in two and shoving half into his hand. "They are SO good," she said and popped the other half into her mouth. She closed her eyes and hummed with approval. "Seriously, this may be the single best experience of my life," she said with her mouth full. Josephine would have been disappointed. 

She glanced at Solas and was surprised to find him trying to suppress a smile. Honestly he looked the same as always except his eyes were bright and playful again. Silently, she thanked Falon for breaking the man free from his dark mood. 

The older elf looked at the tiny cake in his hand and took a small bite. Some frosting dripped onto his lower lip and Ellana found herself staring as his tongue darted out, licking it away. 

Her eyes became fixated on his mouth as he slowly savored the taste. _If I kissed him, would he also taste like cake?_ she wondered and glanced up only to find him staring back at her. 

Heat rose to her cheeks and she looked away. His soft chuckle confirmed that he knew where her mind had strayed. _Shit._ The last thing she wanted to do was give him the upper hand. Unlike some people, he both recognized and could utilize any opening presented to him. It was part of what made him so fun. 

Solas drew her attention again as he gently dislodged the strawberry and flicked his tongue over the tip. Ellana couldn't look away. "You're doing that on purpose," she said, eyes never leaving his mouth. 

"Doing what on purpose?" he asked, keeping his eyes trained on Ellana as he swirled his tongue smoothly around the strawberry, clearing away the remaining frosting. She could feel heat coursing through her and was afraid her face was completely red by now. He gently sucked on the tip before slowly devouring the lucky strawberry. 

Gods, what was wrong with her? She must really need to blow off some steam if the sight of an unwashed, bald elf eating a stupid cake was riling her up. 

"Oh? So you _weren't_ intentionally licking that strawberry to remind me of oral sex? It was awfully suggestive," she said, cocking an eyebrow at him. 

Solas, who had been in the middle of taking a bite of the cake, choked. 

Ellana sighed. Why were men always caught off guard she was blunt? She had almost hoped Solas would be an exception, but at least it gave her the opening she needed. 

"I suppose I _could_ be mistaken as I have never watched you eat before. For all I know, you sexually assault all your food prior to consumption. It's an odd personality quark to have, but who am I to judge?" she teased. 

Solas chuckled again. It was a nice enough sound, but she couldn't help but wonder what his real laugh was like. 

\------------ 

That evening she, Falon, Sera and Solas sat around a campfire listening Varric tell stories about... well to tell the truth Ellana wasn't really listening to the dwarf. She was far more interested on watching the different expressions flit across the small elf's face as the storyteller spun his tale. The flickering campfire cast dancing shadows over his form, reminding her of home. 

"So whiskers huh?" Varric said, smirking . "I think I might have to change your nickname." 

Ellana groaned. "Does _everyone_ know about that?" 

"Pretty much," the dwarf said. "So what was Violet like before she was dropped out of sky? I bet you have some pretty juicy stories," he asked, turning to Falon. 

Sera made a face. "Ugh. No one wants to hear about how elfy she used to be. We get enough of that rubbish from Baldy over here," she said glancing at Solas. "And even _he_ thinks the Dalish are stupid. No offense, Herald." 

"We are NOT stupid!" Falon shouted, jumping up. "And what's wrong with being _elfy_?" 

Sera snorted. "Nothin' if you like being depressed all the time. Who cares about some great empire that _doesn't exist_ anymore. Dwelling on it only makes everyone sad, yeah? I'd rather be happy with what's here than sad over something we never had anyway." 

"But wanting to learn about the past doesn't make us _stupid_ ," he said, glaring at Solas. 

"Easy there kiddo, Solas never _actually_ called the Dalish stupid," Varric said. "The word he used was _ignorant_... OK, maybe _stupid_ was strongly implied, but ignorant can mean a lot of different things... Granted he also used the words _simple-minded_ and _moronic_ a few times too. So yeah, he pretty much called you stupid." 

Falon looked like he'd just been punched in the face. Up until this point, he actually seemed to like the bald mage. 

"I think Master Tethras has misunderstood my meaning," Solas said, causing Sera to snort again. "I simply find the Dalish to be a bit foolish in their boastings about having superior knowledge of the Elvhen. Ellana and I have had some... disagreements on the subject in the past. That is all." 

"By disagreements, he means all out screaming matches," Varric cut in. "You should have seen them when they met! First Chuckles said something mean about the Dalish so she called him an idiot for studying the fade. He got mad and tried to explain that spirits can be your friends, then she called all his friends demons and threatened to kill all of them. It just went on and on. I seriously thought the man was going to murder our only hope of salvation." 

Ellana smiled inwardly as she remembered how much fun that had been. 

"Wait. Ellana I'm confused," Falon said, looking back and forth between her and Solas. Ellana's heart stopped. _Crap. I've got to shut him up._

"Yes, well as nice as this has been, I think it's time that Falon and I headed to bed. Will you show me the room Josephine picked out for you?" she asked, hoping he would take the hint. He did not. 

"No, wait. Ellana why would you want to hurt Solas's friends?" 

She grabbed his arm, tugging him up in an effort to lead him away. "Come along Falon. It has been a busy day." He shrugged himself free and shook his head. 

"Why are you ignoring my question? I don't understand. You're friends with tons of spirits." 

Solas's head snapped up. "I beg your pardon?" 

She gently elbowed Falon in the ribs. "Be quiet," she hissed. 

"Well you are!" he said, ignoring her. "You love the fade. Why would you say those things?" 

"Are you sure, kid?" Varric asked. "Because I'm pretty sure she's been telling Chuckles over here how much she hates the place." 

Silence fell around the campfire and all eyes were on her. 

_Shit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \-------  
> Was it mean to leave it off here? Naw. 
> 
> So I was originally going to make Falon older but then I realized that Dragon Age has a serious lack of children and wanted to bring one in. 
> 
> I actually have this vision of an angry little elf girl standing on The Iron Bull's shoulders and steering him around by the horns... in a pretty dress that's blowing in the wind as he gallops around. Maybe someday I will fanart that idea.
> 
> \--------------


	9. CH 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Solas confronts Ellana about all her little lies. Oh boy. 
> 
>  
> 
> Sorry for the wait, things have been so busy that I've been writing paragraph by paragraph. Hope you like it. Please read and review. Feeback is my friend.

The air around Solas crackled dangerously as the two elves regarded each other across the campfire. Its glow reflected in his eyes making him seem otherworldly, almost dangerous. _But he's not dangerous,_ Ellana reminded herself, _he's just Solas, master of scowls._

"I feel an explanation is in order," he said, eyes digging into her. 

Beside her, Sera snorted. " _I feel an explanation is in order_ ," she mocked, "I mean how _stupid_ are you that you haven't figured it out yet?" 

Ellana cleared her throat. "Um, Sera? I don't suppose you could give us a minute?" 

Sera threw her hands up in the air and cried, "Ugh! Come on! I've been _waiting_ for this! So hurry up and tell him how _stupid_ he is!” 

"Sera!" Ellana exclaimed, but the girl ignored her and turned to Solas, smiling wickedly. 

“Perhaps you'd care to enlighten me, as you are so eager," he replied, glaring at both of them. 

"Oh, she got you _good_ , Baldy!" Sera said, taunting him. "The Herald was messing with you, like the _whole_ time! _I_ knew it all along, but _you_! You act like you know _everything_!" She leaned back and gave him an appraising look. "Pft! You're just as dumb as the rest of us! _Worse_ , even! I mean how could she _possibly_ be scared of the fade when she's got that glowing anchor thing _attached_ to her bloody hand? I'm sorry, but that's just _really_ _stupid_! Don't know how to say it any other way.” She was practically cackling with glee and Ellana wasn’t sure if she could do damage control at this point. “Score one for the _ignorant_ Dalish!" Sera yelled but stopped abruptly and shook her head. "Can't believe I just said that." 

"Leave," Solas commanded. His hand clasped tightly around the base of his staff and Ellana could almost hear the wood humming as it absorbed his mana. Even Sera seemed to feel it and she eyed his weapon. 

"Alright then,” she said, standing. “Have fun sorting _this_ out Lady Herald. Just let me know if you need any bees." And then she walked off, disappearing into the darkness. 

Varic looked between the remaining elves, gaze settling on Falon. "Come on kid, let's take a walk,” he said. The dwarf placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder but Falon shrugged him off, big eyes falling on Ellana. 

"Is what Sera said true?" he asked and Ellana looked away, wishing he would drop it. "You didn't really lie to Solas did you?" When she didn’t reply, he circled around until he was standing in front of her and stomped his foot. "You _did_ , didn’t you?” he snapped and grabbed her arm, dragging her away. “I can't believe you're doing this again!" 

"Hey!" she exclaimed as they approached her cabin and he shoved her inside, door slamming behind them. 

"Are you _stupid_?" he hissed, "What if Solas- What if he-" Falon took a deep breath. "You can't just go around making people angry all the time. The clan can't protect you here." 

_So that's what this is about,_ she thought, touched by his concern. "Didn't you promise Deshanna that _you_ will protect me?" she asked, trying not to smile. 

"Yes, but-" 

"Then I have nothing to worry about... unless you're not up to the challenge?" 

Falon scowled. "Of course I am! But _you_ still need to be cautious! What if Solas wasn't such a nice person? What if he tried to hurt you?" 

"You worry too much," she said, "Solas would never hurt me." 

" _Solas_ might not, but what about the next person you decide to piss off? You need to stop doing things like this! Have you ever thought that maybe Deshanna would have let you stay if you weren't _always_ being so dumb?" 

Ellana winced, feeling like she’d been punched in the stomach. He was wrong. The clan would have left her no matter what, Deshanna had always made that clear. But that didn’t stop his words from stinging and she forced herself not to lash out at him. "Fine, have it your way," she said, hoping to placate the boy before she, too, lost her temper. "I promise to be more careful, OK?" 

" _And_ you need to make it up to Solas," he added. 

“ _what?_ " 

Falon shot her a nasty look. "I can't believe what an idiot you are sometimes. Just- just wait here," he said and stomped off, muttering something about how people should be grateful when someone saves their life. 

After only a few moments Falon threw open the door and shoved a disgruntled looking Solas inside. The bald elf stumbled into a table, sending a stack of papers scattering across the floor. 

He immediately knelt, gathering the pages, but stopped, eyes snapping to Ellana. Glowering, he dropped the pages and quirked an eyebrow, silently daring her to object. _As if I would give you the satisfaction_ , she thought and shrugged, acting completely unconcerned with the mess. She didn’t want to read those reports anyway. 

Falon cleared his throat, drawing their attention. He was standing in the doorway, looking every bit as stubborn as a true Dalish. "Apologize to Solas," he said, "Right. _Now_." 

Ellana gave him her best 'annoyed-big-sister' face. It had no effect, if anything he looked even more stubborn. “ _Now_ ,” he repeated and whirled around, leaving the two of them alone. 

Solas stared expectantly but then his eyes darted toward the window. “Your _friends_ are outside,” he sneered. 

“What are you-“ she stopped. Someone was at the window. Moreover, that someone was loudly “ _shushing_ ” someone else. It was highly suspicious. 

Ellana motioned at Solas to stay quiet while she tiptoed over to the window and poured her canteen through the opening. 

Sera jumped up, water dripping down her nose. “WHAT THE FRIG?!” she screeched and wiped her face. 

The familiar sensation of mana being collected swept through the air and the blonde froze, staring behind Ellana where Solas was forming a small ball of electricity. 

“Didn’t Solas ask you to leave?” Ellana asked sweetly, still a bit miffed about the girl’s earlier outburst. 

Realizing that she would receive no back up from Ellana, Sera yelled, “It was his idea!” and sprinted off without a backwards glance. 

A squishing noise alerted her to the second eavesdropper. _Of course it would be Dorian,_ she thought and smiled as she watched him crawl along the outside wall failing to be discreet. He would have made a clean getaway if not for the dripping icicles turning the whole area into muddy nightmare. Every movement created a gross _squelching_ sound and his silky robes were completely soiled. "Dorain?" she called. He gave a startled jump and scooted around the corner, scurrying out of sight. 

_Those poor robes,_ she thought and took one last look around before closing the shutters. _Right.Time to get this over with,_ she thought and turned to face Solas. 

The aforementioned elf studied her with piercing blue eyes. He stood rigid with his hands behind his back as he often did when preparing for an argument. Ellana begrudgingly admired the practiced expression of calm upon his face. She wanted to crack his mask for no other reason than it was better than hers. He really was infuriating. "I trust we are alone now,” he said, “So by all means, proceed with your _apology_." 

Not liking his tone, she crossed her arms and lifted her head."Ir abelas _,"_ she said in the flattest voice possible. 

His eyes grew dark and he stepped closer. "And _what_ exactly are you sorry for?" 

"Nothing," she replied, leaning against the wall. "I promised Falon I would apologize and now I have, so we are done here." 

"And what did Falon want you to apologize for?" he asked, voice dangerously low. 

She let out an annoyed sigh. "For lying to you about the fade, _obviously_." 

He inched closer, gait graceful and smooth, the way it had been in the fade. Excess mana radiated from him, prickling her skin. Solas had seemed more powerful there; really, she should have known he was just as powerful here too. "What else have you been _lying_ about, da'len?" he asked, voice like silk. 

Her heart began to beat faster as the prickling sensation intensified, turning almost painful. Still, Ellana was _Dalish_ , and the Dalish did not cower before _anyone_. Determined to hold her ground, she maintained her relaxed posture and shrugged. “Answering that question might take all night. I think a better question would be… What _haven't_ I lied to you about?" 

Something bitter flashed across his face, but it was gone in a heartbeat. "I’m not leaving until I’ve heard the truth,” he said, eyes boring into hers. “Let’s start with how you _really_ feel about magic.” 

Ellana scoffed. "I fail to see how this is relevant to our purpose, but Falon made me promise to humor you, so I guess it's your lucky day." 

A low growl resonated from his throat and Ellana didn't bother to hide her smile. After all, this may be the last time she could play with her dour-faced apostate so she might as well try to enjoy herself. "For someone so articulate, you certainly growl a lot," she said, eyes dancing at his irritation. 

He took a heavy breath. "Answer the question da'len. What are your views on magic?" 

She rolled her eyes. "That's an awfully big subject. Perhaps you could be more specific?" 

"Just answer the question," he repeated refusing to be distracted. Really, he was being no fun at all. 

"Fine," she said, giving in. "Templars are _stupid_ , towers are _stupid_ and magic is only dangerous when wielded by someone _stupid_ , _untrained_ or _malicious_... but the same can be said for pretty much anything, even a stick. The only difference is, you can take away a stick from an idiot, but in order to take someone’s magic they have to be made tranquil, which by the way, is also _stupid_. There, are you satisfied?" 

His eyes narrowed and he took another step closer. "And what of the Chantry?” 

"Oh, you mean the organization that’s trying to kill me? Aren’t they the same ones who forced our people into alienages and who condone hunting of Dalish for sport? What’s not to love?” 

Solas frowned. "A fair point and obvious answer,” he replied. “Which brings us to our next topic. You are uncommonly considerate to city elves for a Dalish. Tell me of your clan.” 

"What do you want to know?" she asked, "Keep in mind that I'm forbidden from telling certain things to outsiders," she said sarcastically, hoping to lighten the mood. It didn’t work. If anything, she only made things worse. 

His lip curled in disgust and he loomed over her. "Oh? And what hidden knowledge could _your_ kind possibly possess?” he sneered. “How to weave flowers into pretty crowns?” 

Ellana's blood ran cold. She may not come from the most traditional of clans, but she was still Dalish and he didn't _always_ have to be an ass about it. "Enjoy your evening Solas, we are done here. _Leave_ ,” she said, gesturing to the door but he didn’t budge. 

"I am not leaving until you've answered my questions." 

_Fine by me,_ she thought, _I can always sleep somewhere else tonight_. "Have it your way. You can stay here and I'll go," she said and walked to the door. A rush of unfamiliar magic engulfed the area and she spun around. "What did you just do?" 

A predatory smile formed on his lips and Ellana’s stomach flipped. 

Out of all the men in the Inquisition, why did _Solas_ have to affect her this way? _Because he’s the only one here who challenges you,_ her traitorous mind answered. Ugh! Why couldn’t she be satisfied with a nice, easily controlled and oh-so-boring lover? _Maybe I can be._ If she could just lure someone else to her bed, maybe she wouldn’t get so worked up around him. 

One of the mages would be ideal, but for some reason they all seemed terrified whenever she approached. Leliana’s scouts were also a good option but they were too wary of their mistress’ wrath to try anything, and Cullen’s men were too _human_ and too… _devout_. Still, there had to be _someone_ , perhaps a servant travelling with a visiting dignitary or a- 

“Ellana,” Solas said, snapping her back to the present. "Our conversation is not over," he said slowly, as if speaking to a disobedient child. She wanted to smack him, knock him to the ground and force him to stay down. _Helpless_. That’s how she wanted him. On his back, pleading for- _Shit_. She needed to leave. _Now_. 

The door wouldn’t open. 

She stared at the wood in disbelief. "Did you just use a ward to lock me in?" she asked, poking at his spell with her mana. It was strong, stronger than any ward she'd ever encountered and it was altogether _different_ from the magic she was used to. 

Most protective spells covered the area like a blanket and you could punch through with stronger magic...Such a tactic wouldn’t work in this case. Solas had somehow threaded the fade into the real world, weaving them together until you could no longer tell where one began and the other ended. 

_If he can do this in a matter of seconds, what else is he capable of?_

Although her back was turned to him, she could almost feel the smugness emanating from him. It would have been irritating if she wasn’t so utterly fascinated with the spell. 

"You cannot break it. Such a task is impossible for someone such as you," he said in a tone laced with condescending pride. 

"Challenge accepted," she replied, not bothering to look at him as she spread her mana over the room, tracing the outline of his spell. "And _breaking_ through this would be impossible for _anyone_... There’s way too much stubborn, unmovable _real world_ mixed in." 

It needed to be unraveled, which meant finding the pattern and... Well she'd figure the next step out when she got there. _Hopefully._

After five minutes, Solas sat in a chair, resigning himself for a long wait. At least he was being quiet and appeared to be content with watching her struggle… and watch he did. Relentlessly. 

It took only twenty minutes for her to identify the magical pattern, but the constant _staring_ of certain bald apostate kept breaking her concentration. This was the fourth time his leering caused her to lose her place, forcing her to start all over again. She was running low on mana and he knew it. 

To make matters worse, Solas wasn’t looking at her in the innocent, grandfatherly way either. Oh no, his gaze crawled across her body, hungry and unapologetic. Tiny shivers ran down her spine whenever his gaze lingered and she found herself flushing as her mind drifted into dangerous territory. She lost her place again and cursed. 

“Something wrong?” he asked, eyes gleaming. He was seriously the most irritating man she’d ever met. 

After another 10 minutes, Solas sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'll let down the ward. There is really no need for this," he said. 

Ellana strode across the room, stopping directly in front of him. "Don't you fucking DARE!" 

Solas raised his eyebrows. "You _want_ me to keep it in place?" he asked. 

Her hands went to her hips and looked down her nose at him. "I _am_ going to undo your stupid spell and when I am done, _you_ are going to show me how to cast it." 

"Oh am I?" he asked sounding amused, "Why?" 

She leaned over him, resting her hands on the tip of each armrest. "Two reasons," she said, noting the way his eyes flickered to her cleavage. So she hadn't been imagining things, good. "First, because you _want_ to show me. You’re always spouting off useless information, trying to prove how clever you are... well here's your chance to teach me something I don't already know." 

"And the second reason?" 

"Because if you do,” she said, letting her eyes fall to his mouth and watching as his gaze fell to hers. Ellana licked her lips and his breathing deepened. Unbidden images of his hands gripping her hips as she straddled him flashed though her mind. She shook her head, ridding herself of the image. “If you do,” she began again, “I will answer whatever questions you have tonight... _truthfully_ ," she added, locking eyes with him. "Do we have a deal?" 

Solas looked incredulous. "Just ask Falon to confirm whatever I say. So, is it a deal?" she asked again. 

He tilted his head in consideration. "There’s no harm in letting you _try_ , but I doubt you will be able to cast it." 

Ellana chuckled and looked into his eyes. "Tell you what," she said, leaning past him to whisper in his ear, "If you prove to be a sufficient teacher, I'll start calling you _hahren_ and actually mean it." A low, guttural noise came from deep in his throat and his hands clenched beside him. The noise sent another set of shivers down her spine and her forehead fell against his. Solas automatically leaned into her, eyes so dark only a thin ring of blue remained and she had to pull back before she did something stupid. 

He wanted her. Of that, she had no more doubt. Good. She could use that. ****

"Now," she said, a few octaves lower than she intended, "The only reason I haven't already unraveled your silly little spell is because of your incessant _ogling_. So turn around and let me _focus_ ," she said and spun his chair until he was facing the wall. ****

Ellana took a deep breath, willing her heart to slow down her mind to push aside thoughts about _whatever_ just happened. She could analyze her feelings for the stupid elf later. Right now, she had some magic to dispell. 

Five minutes later and the cabin was ward free. Sure, she was completely out of mana and a thin sweat had formed on her brow, but she’d done it. Solas stood up, shaking his head, baffled. "That was... unexpected," he said. 

“Unexpected?” she laughed. “Tell me. Have you figured out how I was able to trick you for so long?” 

“You are an exceedingly accomplished liar,” he answered without a second thought. 

Her smile widened. “Well, that _is_ true, but it’s not what made it so _easy_. Care for a second guess?” He remained silent so she continued. “It was your _expectations_. All I did was act the way you _expected_ of me. You never even questioned it.” 

Astonished blue eyes sought hers. He studied her, expression slowly changing from suspicion to wonder. Leaning forward, his soft gaze swept back and forth across her face with heart-wrenching tenderness. It made her uncomfortable. Soft eyes had no place on Solas, not when he looked at her. 

“So, now that things are out in the open, amI _anything_ like what you originally thought?” she asked trying to move the conversation forward. 

"I- no." 

She smirked. “Gods and everything was so _perfect_! Pity Falon had to go and spoil my fun. I really wanted to know how long it would take you to figure it out on your own... Dorian and I had a bet going and everything." 

"So everyone knew?" he asked, collapsing back into the chair. 

Ellana shrugged. "Only Sera and Dorian. Though I’m sure Bull and Varic had their suspicions. Honestly, I still can't believe you didn't realize what was going on when you found that book in my nightstand." 

Solas rose and began pacing. "Ah yes, the book. Did you even bother reading it?" 

"Of course I read it," she replied, "I even compiled a list of questions about using its ideas to kill demons." 

His head snapped up. "You what?" he asked, "So you never intended to have a serious conversation with me at all?” 

She put her finger to her cheek in mock contemplation. "Well, there were _some_ difficult passages, but Dorian helped me through them." 

" _Dorian_?" he sputtered, "You asked Dor-" he stopped, eyes widening. "You are teasing me.” 

"So he _can_ learn," she replied and grabbed the book from her nightstand, flipping through the pages until she found a sheet of parchment. "Here," she said, shoving it into his hands. "I have a hard time reading Common Trade so I may have misunderstood some things. If you want, we can talk about it tomorrow.” A sudden idea came to her and she tilted her head, looking up at him with big eyes. “Is tomorrow acceptable to you, _hahren_?” she asked, emphasizing the title. 

He nodded, a slight flush spreading across his neck and she wondered how far down it went. Even if he did teach her his warding technique, she doubted she could ever call anyone _hahren_ in earnest. But if he reacted this way every time, she could certainly pretend. 

"Why did you go to all this trouble to trick me?" he asked, tucking the list into his pocket. 

"Do I need a reason?" she replied, evading the question. 

Solas pursed his lips. "People do not put such effort into something without motivation.” 

She shrugged, “You’re not going to like it.” 

“I would imagine not,” he said and waited for her to continue. 

_Well, here it goes._ “I only lied because your face is hilarious and because you made it _so_ easy… And to be blunt, I never felt guilty enough to stop because you’re kind of an asshole.” 

Solas opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Instead, he took a deep breath and shook his head, frowning. "Perhaps you'd care to elaborate?" 

"On which part?" 

"Both, if you don't mind." 

Ellana let out a breath, acting annoyed at having to repeat herself. "Hmm... How can I put this simply..." She paused, considering her words. "For one, there’s your ears. They turn the most adorable shade of pink when you're flustered, not to mention the stubborn look you get on your face.” She tilted her head, pretending to be thoughtful. “I like it best when you get angry though. You go all rigid and your head looks like it’s about to explode... It's _really_ fun to watch. Sorry, but there’s not much else to it.” 

As if on cue, he became stiff and his jaw clenched. “Yes, exactly like that,” she said, eyes dancing. “Do you really need me to elaborate on the asshole part? It seems part is pretty self-explanatory." 

"I disagree entirely," he said, folding his hands behind his back. "Have you forgotten that I saved your life?" 

Ellana snorted, "We both know you were only saving the mark, I just happened to be attached to it." 

The anger dissipated from his expression as her words sunk in. “Do you truly believe that?" 

"I did," she said, doing her best to ignore the pang of guilt building in her chest as her elation deflated. 

" _Did_?" he asked, stepping closer. 

She fidgeted and glanced down. _This is his fault, not yours_ , she reminded herself, refusing to give in to his imploring eyes. _If it wasn’t true he would still be angry._

"You _may_ have grown on me _a bit_... but I still don't think you would have saved a Dalish if not for the mark. After all, we are nothing but _crude savages_ ," she spat, not caring if he heard the raw hurt in her voice. He winced, but it did not make her feel any better. His reaction only confirmed her words to be true. 

"I- I still do not hold the Dalish in high regard, but _you_ have proven to be unique," he stammered. __

"We are _all_ unique, you jackass!" she snapped and any guilt she felt evaporated. "When Cassandra told me that you study the fade I was SO excited, but then you looked at me like I was beneath you... Gods, you were worse than a fucking _noble_! So yeah, I _didn't_ like you." Ellana crossed her arms defensively, heat rising to cheeks. 

Solas rose, hesitating for only a moment before he cupped her chin and tilted it upward, forcing eye contact between them. "And now?" She swallowed, unable to hear anything past the beating of her heart; it was so loud that she was sure he could hear it too. 

“I already said that you’ve grown on me,” she replied, hoping she sounded neutral. “Has your opinion of me changed?” 

His free had traced down her cheek. “Much,” he whispered. Gooseflesh pricked her skin as his hand continued lower, down her neck and over her shoulder, following the contours of her body, settling at her hip. His eyes fell to her mouth and Ellana’s breath hitched when he swiped a thumb across her bottom lip. 

He couldn't possibly be doing what she thought he was, could he? Did she even want him to? The memory being pinned against the wall flashed though her mind and liquid heat built between her thighs. Yes, yes she did want him to. 

Decision made, she closed the distance between them, gently pressing her lips against his. His entire body tensed and there was a sinking in her chest. Horrified that she’d misinterpreted the situation, she tried to pull back, but his grip on her chin tightened, holding her in place. “This is not a wise course of action,” he whispered against her mouth, yet made no move to release her. 

Encouraged, she snaked her hand up his chest until she felt the rapid thumping of his heart. “If you don’t want this, Solas,” she breathed, finger tracing the collar of his sweater, “then I’ll stop.” She gently bit down on his lip and slid her tongue across it. A strangled noise came from deep in his throat and Ellana writhed against him. Their eyes locked and she watched, entranced, as his pupils dilated, engulfing the blue until they were darker than midnight. 

The victory was short lived however, as he backed away. “This cannot happen” he said, keeping his distance. 

_Oh yes it can,_ she thought, incensed by both his rejection and by how utterly turned on she was. But she wasn’t desperate. If he wanted her to chase him, he would be in for a long wait. Schooling her face into an expression of indifference, she replied, “If that is your decision, I will respect it.” Her tone belied none of her emotions. _Good_. 

Solas frowned, no doubt perturbed by her immediate acceptance of his rebuff, but remained silent. 

“If there’s nothing else, please leave.” 

He stepped toward her, arm stretched outward, but she halted him with a single look. “I should not have let things get this far. The fault is mine,” he said and turned to leave. 

Once the door shut, Ellana sank to the floor. His rejection had bruised her ego. Hard. Shaking her head, she tried to rid herself of the crushing feeling in her chest. She was Ellana of Clan Lavellan for creator’s sake! Ellana Lavellan did NOT get upset over something so stupid. _There are plenty of men in Haven,_ she reasoned, _and one of them is bound to want company tonight._

She glanced in the mirror and cringed. While her outfit gave a semi-good view of her cleavage, it was hardly attractive. Besides, she looked like she was about to charge into battle. Nope, she needed to remind the men of this town that she is actually a _woman,_ and not just a glowing hand. 

_At least Vivienne is good for something,_ she thought as she pulled on some silky robes the enchanter had gifted her. The other mage had taken a liking to Ellana after she found some stupid books from the circle. Since then, the woman simply _insisted_ on helping her become a “ _symbol to be venerated_.” Apparently, exceedingly expensive robes were a key part of making that happen. Who knew? 

Satisfied that she looked womanly enough to catch someone’s eye, she decided to give it just a few more minutes before leaving. She did _not_ want to run into Solas on her way to the tavern. 

Once enough time had passed for the bald mage to make it to his cabin, she opened the door and bumped right into a warm body. A warm body that just so happened to belong to the very elf she was trying to avoid. Ellana recoiled from him, cursing under her breath. 

There were footprints leading a few feet from her door and then back again. They went back and forth, stopping where Solas now stood. Had he been out here the whole time? 

“S-Solas? Why are you still here?” she stammered. 

“I-I would like another word, if you don’t mind,” he said, eyes narrowing when he saw her robes. “Were you going somewhere?” 

“I have an errand to run,” she said a tad too quickly and his sharp eyes snapped to hers. 

“You promised you would not lie,” he reminded her. 

“I’m looking for that group of elven merchants that arrived a few days ago,” she replied, trying to end the conversation. 

“And it can’t wait until morning?” he asked. 

_You want the truth? Fine, chew on this,_ she thought, no longer caring if she spared his feelings or not. She stood straighter and met his eyes. “I intend to see if any of them are suitable enough to meet my needs,” she said, missing the dark look that flashed across his face as she tried to push past him. 

“And what needs might those be?” he asked, not letting her through. 

Rather than look at him, she made a show of examining her nails. “Sex of course,” she said. “I plan on having it tonight. Who knows what will happen when I close the breach. If you think I intend to spend my remaining time pretending to be Andraste’s perfect little he-“ 

Green sparks burst painfully from her palm, flooding the area in eerie green light. Ellana winced and slid to the floor, willing the disobedient mark to quiet. Cradling her hand to her chest, she scooted back inside before anyone saw. 

Solas knelt beside her and pressed his fingers into the green light until the pain subsided. “It hurts you still,” he said frowning. “Why did you not ask for help?” 

“It’s fine!” she snapped, pulling her hand away. The mark flared again and he grabbed her arm, pulling the mark to him with more force than was necessary. His frown deepened as he poured his magic into it until there was only a faint tingle against her skin. “Why don’t you teach me how to do that so I don’t _need_ your help?” she asked, glowering. 

“It is not something to be performed on oneself,” he said, eyes still focused on her palm. 

An uncomfortable silence fell between them as he absently studied her hand. “So,” he said at last, “All this time, you were merely playing a game with me, lying and waiting to see how long until I discovered your deception.” His lips turned upwards in a bitter smile and his eyes were unreadable. “I truly hated you once. How could I not when you seemed to embody all that is wrong with this world? It will take some time to process everything.” Solas gripped her wrist and jerked her forward. “To say that I am not angry would be a lie,” he said, leaning past her so that he was whispering in her ear. “For you see, _Lethallan_ , I am _very_ angry.” 

He opened the door, but turned around before moving through the threshold. “And Ellana, this little _game_ you’ve been playing… It’s not over until everyone gets a turn.” Then he was gone, the door clicking shut behind him. 

Cold dread formed in the pit of her stomach. What exactly had he meant by _that_? 

A moment later, Cassandra rushed in, her face wrought with worry. “Solas just informed me that your mark has become painful again. He says he managed to calm it, but thinks someone should monitor you tonight, just in case.” 

The woman sat down at the table, eying the scattered reports spread all over the floor. “And I take it that you have volunteered?” Ellana asked, biting back her frustration. 

“Does that displease you?” the other woman asked and Ellana forced her mouth into a pleasant smile. 

“Not at all,” she lied, “I welcome the company.” Gathering the fallen reports, she resigned herself for a long and completely sex-free night. _Just great._

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... this chapter was rewritten about six times, but I wound up going with something close to the original draft. Please let me know if you like or if you don't. I was really torn about how I wanted this to go down.


	10. Ch 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A peek into Solas' reaction to Ellana's duplicity. 
> 
> \--- warning --- this chapter is slightly NSFW

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay and for how short this chapter is. It has become almost impossible to get a few minutes to write. Even now, my adorable husband is giving me puppy eyes and wondering why I'm not cuddling in bed.
> 
> \----------------------

Solas hurried to his cabin and locked the door. Letting out a breath, he leaned back and bumped his head against the wooden frame. 

The events of the evening swirled through his mind like a whirlwind as he processed all that had happened. A myriad of emotions battled within him. Shame, resentment, excitement, they all bubbled just beneath the surface. Really, he should be angry with her, livid even. But he wasn’t. Instead, what he felt most was relief. Relief that Ellana was not as closed minded as he originally thought. That she was not just another ignorant Dalish child blindly following the teachings of an equally ignorant Keeper. 

Solas smiled to himself. Technically she _was_ both ignorant _and_ Dalish, but those unfortunate traits could be forgiven. After all, she couldn’t be blamed for her unfortunate upbringing. Given time, she would learn, he would see to it. 

Despite his relief, the old elf still cringed as he thought of being deceived by a _shemlen_ woman. How could he have not seen through her farce? Heat rose to his cheeks as Ellana’s words from earlier echoed in his memory. 

_All I did was act the way you expected. You never even questioned it._

And he hadn’t. Not once. Solas breathed heavily, rubbing his hands over his face. While the entire situation was more than a little embarrassing, there was an underlying sense of exhilaration pushing its way forward. How long had it been since anyone had intentionally provoked him? His chest tightened as a familiar excitement welled up. _So the little Dalish elf wants to play a game?_ She had her turn, now it was his. Oh how the Dread Wolf was going to enjoy playing with Ellana Lavellan. 

His excitement took on a new form as blood rushed to his groin. Unconsciously, his hand brushed his lips as he remembered her kiss. He wanted to bite down on her lip, to taste her and feel her body pressing against him as she panted into his mouth. He could have taken her, claimed her, made her scream his name into the night. She had been willing- Solas shook his head, trying to steer his thoughts along a different path. He couldn’t afford to get careless, not now. Perhaps falling into her game was not the best course for action. It would only encourage his infatuation and lead to trouble. 

Solas leaned against the door, letting his head fall back against the wood again. He should not have allowed the kiss; he should have pulled away before it had gotten that far. And yet… how could he have moved away a second sooner? How could he push her away after feeling her magic wrap around his, unravelling both his spell and self-control? _Fenehedis!_ She hadn’t even realized what she was doing to him. How her every attempt to undo the ward sent shivers down his spine, a phantom caress on his very soul. 

The ancient blood flowing through his veins was boiling beneath his skin, commanding him into action. One did not feel such a magical link and simply _ignore_ it! Yet, he must, for the sake of the People. Small beads of sweat formed on his forehead. Solas threw open the window shutters, cursing under his breath at his inability to control his body’s reaction. 

Closing his eyes, Solas breathed deep and cleared his mind as the crisp air washed over him. He would not let lust and infatuation ruin his plans. He would remain resolute and unwavering. He would not yield. Not even if Ellana came to him, deep violet eyes burning, silently begging him to touch her. Not even if she wore nothing but her nightgown, her form visible through the thin and clingy material. Or if she slowly undid the laces of his breeches, hand dipping down, inching lower and lower until– Solas snapped his eyes open and slammed the windows shut. 

There was only way he would be able to think clearly again. He groaned, mentally cringing in disgust at what he was about to do. Propping himself against the wall with one arm, he untied his breeches and sucked in a breath as his hardened member was released. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been reduced to _this_. But there was no avoiding it. He couldn’t think, couldn’t focus, not when his mind was determined to conjure such images with every blink. 

Remembering the feel her mouth on his, her warm body pressed close, he ran his fingers along his length and shuddered. Solas wanted to pin her hands above her head, spreading her legs apart with his thigh until she rolled her hips, rutting against him. Her pretty lips would part, panting and she would meet his eyes, unashamed of displaying the pleasure building within her. 

He thrust into his hand and let out out a strangled breath. Squeezing his eyes closed, he allowed suppressed fantasies to come to life. 

He was holding her down as she arched, hardened nipples clearly visible under her thin nightgown. He was circling her clit, gently teasing until she was short of breath, lips quivering and eyes fluttering. Now she was begging as his finger grazed along her folds but not pushing into her. Instead he would hold it there, directly at her center, applying just enough pressure to make her eyes cloud over as she trembled, her inner walls contracting around emptiness in an unsatisfying release. 

Solas’ mouth fell open as he continued to work himself, his breath coming in short, heavy pants. Groaning, he pumped himself faster, hips jerking involuntarily. 

She was sitting at a desk now, listening to the Seeker drone on about her Maker, all the while completely unaware of his presence hidden below. Unware that while she lectured, his elbows were spreading their precious Herald’s creamy thighs apart as he lapped away at her core. That he was tasting her and stroking himself just a few feet away. Unaware that the herald’s flushed cheeks and erratic breathing were not the result of an invigorating lecture, and that they’d done this many times before. 

Solas’ thoughts became scattered and his movements more strained as more fantasies manifested. 

She was sitting on the edge of her bed now, looking at him through hooded eyelashes. “Do you know how many times I’ve sat here thinking of you?” she asked, spreading her legs. Slowly, her hand trailed down her body, lower and lower until- 

Outside a couple of noisy, drunken recruits stumbled along the path in front of his cabin. Solas cursed and his eyes snapped open, slowing his pace until they were safely out of hearing range before resuming his pleasure. 

Ellana was now grasping his windowsill as he plunged into her from behind. People were loitering just beyond the wall. One hand covered her mouth, muffling her loud gasps. The other was teasing her nipples as he thrust harder and harder. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he imagined her tight little cunt convulsing around his cock as she cried out his name. Even with his hand over her mouth, everyone would hear and know what they had done. Solas let out a small cry, vision going white and head falling against the cabin wall as he came. Slowly he caressed his member, drawing out the orgasm as his sticky seed dripped down his hand. 

The world came back into focus and Solas stared down at the mess he’d made, cursing at his weakness. Here he was, the great Fen’harel, living in a one room cabin, pleasuring himself like a love-struck adolescent. It was reprehensible. 

_At least now you should be able to think clearly,_ he justified to himself. 

In a few more days the breach would be closed. His original plan to let Ellana burn in the chaos was no longer an option. He doubted she would join him willingly. The stubborn woman would never abandon her friends and he couldn’t risk revealing his true identity. Despite having proven not to be an ordinary Dalish, she was still one of them and… well Solas did not want to fight her. He _couldn’t_ fight her. Not anymore. 

And what about Falon? He felt a certain fondness for the lad that could not be explained... Not to mention Ellana would never forgive him if he knowingly allowed harm to come to the boy. Solas paced around the small living space. He could always kidnap him… Falon _would_ be the perfect bait. Then Solas could hide them both away, use the orb to tear down the veil and come back for them. 

Ellana would be livid, of course. But her connection to the fade was strong and without the veil, her abilities would only grow. Solas had no doubt that she would be one of the few shemlen elves to reclaim immortality. Then he would have the rest of eternity to court her… Providing his mark didn’t kill her first. Which was another problem. 

Solas continued to let his mind weave through possibilities as new plans clicked into place and soon his mind wandered to more pleasant thoughts. Like how he would proceed in that little game Ellana had started. Extracting revenge would be a pleasant experience indeed. 

_Let her spend the night with the Seeker,_ he thought smiling. As if he would allow _his_ Ellana to fall into the arms of another. He would not touch her while she remained ignorant of his true nature, but that didn’t mean another could claim her in the meantime. 

Suddenly a horrifying realization came to him. _Cassandra is a heavy sleeper_. Ellana could just walk out as her companion slumbered. _And knowing her, she would too_. Panic caused the older elf’s heart to beat out of control. He needed to make sure she stayed where he left her. Solas’ first reaction was to set wards, but dismissed the idea. Both women would sense his magic and call him out. 

Solas’ jaw clenched. There was only one viable option. 

Groaning, he donned his cloak and silently made his way back to her cabin. Careful to keep to the shadows, he slipped over to her window and crouched down. The closed shutters blocked most of the noise, but the murmur of conversation could be heard from within. He let out a heavy breath, relieved that she was still inside. 

Solas rested his head against the cold wall and shivered. Beneath him, the soft mud had grown stiff from the frigid air and he resisted the urge to use magic to warm himself. Instead he pulled his cloak tighter and drew up the hood. The soft fabric brushed over his ears and he closed his eyes. Her voice, low and incomprehensible, slid over him like silk. Being this close, it was too easy to imagine her plump lips grazing his ears as she whispered filth meant for only him. 

His cock twitched and Solas snapped his eyes open. This had been a terrible idea. The temptation was too great. His touch starved body craved for her and he was growing ever weaker against her pull. 

He should leave, go to the tavern and wait. Where else would she go after the Seeker fell asleep? It would be more comfortable and he could keep an ear out for useful information in the meantime. 

A sudden burst of laughter brought his attention back to the window. It was quickly followed by a crashing sound, like furniture being thrown against a wall. Slowly, Solas moved his finger between the gap in the shutters and unlatched the lock, giving him a clear view of the inside. 

His eyes widened in surprise as Ellana darted back and forth, holding a book above her head while Cassandra, red faced and desperate, chased her like a madwoman. 

“Why can’t I see what you’re reading, Cass? Is it a private diary?” Ellana asked, “No, there’s no way this is a diary! So what’s so terrible in this book that you won’t share it with your favorite herald?” The elf pushed a chair at the Seeker, flipped the book open and began reading out loud. 

“ _His pulsing member was dripping with desire, simply begging to be licked. My mouth was more than ready. He tasted hot and salty-_ “ 

“STOP!” Cassandra screeched, but Ellana laughed and kept reading. 

“ _His eyes rolled back as I took him in my mouth. I was in control. The feeling was both liberating and terrifying all at once. I wanted to hold onto that feeling for eternity_ , _”_ she stopped, a light blush forming on her cheeks. “You read this type of stuff?” 

Cassandra looked away. “I- I was just holding onto it for a friend.” 

Ellana grinned. “A _friend_ , huh? Let’s see what else your _friend_ reads.” She flipped to another page. 

“ _His smoldering eyes held me in place. I couldn’t move, not that I wanted to. He would betray me in the end, of that I was certain. How many times had the keeper warned me never to let him catch my scent? But standing naked before him, with his eyes tracing my vallaslin, I couldn’t deny how much I wanted this. It’s not as if I could refuse. He was a god, after all. Evidence of my arousal dripped down my thigh and he smiled. It was feral and predatory, just like I’d always imagined. There really was no turning back now. Submitting to him was the only way to save my clan. It was my body in return for his protection. That was the deal. I was to be his slave-”_ Ellana snapped the book shut. “This is Fen’Harel’s book,” she whispered, eyes wide. 

Solas couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. Rubbing his temples, he sank to the ground, blood draining from his face. 

Inside, the Seeker sighed in defeat. “Yes, I- I thought you would be offended. The author wrote some… unflattering things about the Dalish.” 

Ellana snorted. “Of course he did. It’s written by a human.” A strained silence fell between them and even outside Solas could feel the tension. He peeked through the window again and saw Ellana stroking the spine of the book, grinning sheepishly. “Let me borrow it?” 

“Excuse me?” Cassandra blurted. 

The elf bit her lip, blushing profusely. “Please? This is the only one I haven’t read. I-I can’t give you anything in return. But I promise to return it. _Please_?” 

“You _want_ to read it?” the older woman asked, eyes skeptical. 

Ellana nodded. “I used to have the whole series, but my keeper found out before I read this one.  
She threw them into the fire.” 

Cassandra’s mouth was agape. “You surprise me,” she said at last. “I did not take you for someone who enjoyed this type of… material.” 

“ _Likewise_ ,” Ellana replied, looking a little relieved. “Soooo, can I borrow it? It looks like your _friend_ has read it quite a few times already,” she added, eyeing the worn cover and dog eared pages. 

Solas held his breath. _Say no,_ he pleaded silently. _Say that the Herald can’t be seen with such tripe. Say ANYTHING, but for the love of Mythal, DON’T let her read that book._

“Of course you can borrow it,” the seeker replied. 

_Fenedhis lasa._

“Thank you. Um… to be clear, neither of us will speak of this again? At least not in front of other people, I mean.” 

“Agreed.” 

An awkward silence fell between them until Ellana spoke again. “So have you read any of the other books? Dirthamen’s book is my favorite one.” 

Cassandra swallowed. “Isn’t that the one where he and Falcon-Dine fall in love with the same woman and then-” she stopped and cleared her throat, “ _share_ her?” 

“Falon’Din,” Ellana corrected. “And yes, that is the one. I thought it was so romantic how they put aside their feud to save her when she was kidnapped by Fear and Deceit. Hey, did you like Falon’Din or Dirthamen better?” 

The older woman looked uncomfortable, but replied. “I preferred Falcon-Dine. He was unafraid to act when Dirkemon wanted to take his time thinking of a better plan. She would have died if they had waited any longer to rescue her.” 

Ellana tilted her head. “Huh, I liked Dirthamen. There’s something to be said for the strong, silent type. Not to mention he was tall, dark and utterly sexy. Though I can see the appeal of a man of action too.” Ellana gave the other woman a lopsided grin. “Sooo,” she said coyly. “Do you like blonds or brunettes better?” 

_Solas pinched the bridge of his nose. Would this night never end?_ He had no desire to hear what type of man the stern Seeker found attractive. 

“It depends on the man, though I find myself leaning more towards blonds lately,” she replied. 

A Cheshire grin spread across the young elf’s face. “Blonds? You mean like King Alistair?” 

Cassandra stiffened. “I-I don’t know what you mean.” 

Ellana giggled. “Oh, did I imagine the way you looked at him when he dropped off the mages then? Come on, there’s something going on between you two isn’t there?” 

“Don’t be ridiculous!” she exclaimed. “He is the King of Ferelden!” 

“So? Aren’t you some type of royalty or something too? I don’t see the problem.” 

Cassandra was bright red. “What about you and Solas, then?” she countered and Solas’ ears perked up. 

Ellana’s smile melted and she sat on the bed. “There is nothing between Solas and I. He doesn’t feel that way about me,” she said and Solas felt a pang in his chest. “He sort of made that clear.” 

Cassandra moved closer to the window and Solas shrank down, hugging the wall. “Are you certain? He seemed so concerned when he asked me to look after you. I thought you and he were…well I apologize. I did not mean to pry.” 

“Don’t worry about it.” Ellana replied. “There’s lots of other men around. Besides, I’m way more interested in the sexy plans of Fen’Harel and I bet Solas is boring in the sack anyway.” 

There was another awkward silence before Cassandra spoke again. “Herald, I must warn you- that book is unlike the others. The god in this story is… _cruel_. There isn’t a happy ending. I can give you a different book if you like? I have all the volumes in the _Swords and Shields_ series.” 

Solas could almost hear Ellana clutch the book tighter. “Don’t worry, I didn’t expect Fen’Harel’s book to be happy. He _is_ the god of betrayal after all.” 

Solas clenched his fists, silently cursing the Dalish for their ignorance. It was going to be difficult enough to woo her once the truth was revealed, let alone to disprove such firmly held beliefs about him. 

Cassandra sighed and moved away from the window. “If you insist on reading it, I won’t stop you. But I need to warn you about a scene that I found shocking, even for this sort of book.” She paused, clearing her throat uncomfortably. “there is a part where he turns into a wolf and-” 

Solas recoiled away from the window, not wanting to hear the rest. With clenched fists, he made his way to the tavern. How _dare_ some shemlen human write such filth about him! 

Solas halted mid-step as a horrifying realization slapped him across the face. _Cassandra_ not only read the book, but also _dog-eared_ pages… pages of _him_ having sex with a Dalish girl… sometimes in wolf-form. The very idea caused blood to drain from his face and bile to rise in his throat. 

If he ever found the author, he would kill them. _Slowly_. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \-----------------------
> 
> Thanks for reading and, again, sorry for how short this is. I am getting to the parts where I want some NSFW stuff to happen and I really don't know how to write that. This chapter was my first go at anything along those lines. Feedback is greatly appreciated. 
> 
> \----------------------


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